With the official schedule release for all 32 NFL teams being announced for May 14th, it's worth wondering how it will all pan out. We know who the Seattle Seahawks will play, but we don't know when each game will be played. But I have a few guesses.
The NFL schedules aren't a huge deal on their face, but they could be if you dig deeper. A stretch of tough games can make or break a season. We saw it last year in 2024 when Seattle faced the gauntlet of strong teams right in the middle of the schedule.
Between Weeks 9 and 16, they had dates with the Buffalo Bills, three straight division games, Aaron Rodgers and the Jets, the Arizona Cardinals again, and two consecutive games against the Green Bay Packers and the Minnesota Vikings.
Guessing who the Seahawks will play when in the 2025 season
Seattle can only hope their best opponents are more spread out in 2025. While the schedule does not seem as difficult as 2024's, 2025 still features some of the league's best, including the Vikings, Washington Commanders, and an always-fierce NFC West. Here is how I think it may look next week.
Week 1 vs. Minnesota Vikings
The NFL loves leading into Week 1 with big, juicy storylines. When Seattle traded QB Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos in 2022, guess who Seattle's Week 1 opponent was. The storyline of Russell Wilson returning to Seattle to play against his former team was so massive, they televised it nationally on Monday Night Football.
I don't think Sam Darnold to Seattle is as dramatic as Russell Wilson's exit from the team, so I don't expect this game to be nationally televised. However, Week 1 seems perfect for Sam Darnold to face his former team against QB JJ McCarthy, his assumed successor.
Many eyes will be on this game, and with the Seattle Mariners out of town on September 7, the stage could be set for a big-time NFC match-up.
Week 2 at Jacksonville Jaguars
The NFL loves to slide in a 10 a.m. PT kickoff early in the season. Jacksonville, featuring first-round phenom WR/CB Travis Hunter, will be an intriguing team in 2025. It'll be September in central Florida, so the NFL will surely want to throw a West Coast team into the upper 80-degree temperatures, as is tradition.
Week 3 at San Francisco 49ers
Seattle did not get their first divisional game until Week 6 in 2024, and I don't think that will be a trend they'll continue to follow into 2025. After a long, hot flight into Florida just a week ago, common sense says the NFL should keep them on the West Coast for their second consecutive away game.
Week 4 vs Houston Texans (Monday Night Football)
Seattle finally gets a nationally televised game, which'll likely be a doubleheader. It will serve as the latter of the two MNF games, the NFL oddly likes to do early in the season. Houston is a young and exciting football team, and CJ Stroud is always fun to watch in prime time.
Week 5 vs New Orleans Saints
Another opponent presenting an interesting storyline for Seattle is the New Orleans Saints, former employer of new Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak. The Saints may be a dark-horse candidate for a Thursday Night Football match-up in Seattle, but I think they'll reserve that slot for a division game.
Week 6 at Los Angeles Rams
If the past decade is any indicator, this Week 6 slot seems like the prime spot for a Sunday afternoon at the Rams. The NFL loves to see Seattle face the Rams once at the beginning of the season, then again at the end. I don't expect this trend to end in 2025. Plus, the NFL won't want to wait for WR Cooper Kupp's return to LA.
Week 7: BYE
Week 8 at Tennessee Titans
Coming off the BYE week, it seems appropriate to send Seattle out to the Midwest for their second 10 a.m. PT kickoff of the season. However, I wouldn't be surprised to see this game scheduled earlier in the season due to the link Seattle has with Tennessee. Both head coaches seem to enjoy joint practices, and WR Tyler Lockett will be catching passes from rookie QB Cam Ward.
Week 9 vs. Arizona Cardinals
The second division game in four weeks, counting the BYE, this seems like the typical spot for hosting the Cardinals in a mid-season game at Lumen Field. Arizona seems like the match-up Seattle would get twice in three weeks, so the middle of the season feels right for this one.
Week 10 vs Indianapolis Colts
They have to put this game somewhere. Why not throw it in as the meat of an Arizona Cardinals sandwich?
Week 11 at Arizona Cardinals (Thursday Night Football)
This feels like the prime spot for a disgusting Thursday Night game that will probably end up a 13-10 victory for either team.
Week 12 at Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers will start their third cross-country game at 10 a.m. PT. They had a mini BYE week following their Thursday night matchup in the desert. This game is likely to get a combined three minutes of coverage on the Red Zone channel.
Week 13 vs. San Francisco 49ers (Sunday Night Football)
Seattle's second prime time game in three weeks, San Francisco, is always a fun choice to serve as the Seahawks' opponent for America to witness.
Week 14 at Atlanta Falcons
In a rare East Coast 1:05 PM kickoff, I'm hoping the NFL takes mercy on Seattle and doesn't make the Seahawks participate in four morning kickoff games. Depending on what shape both teams are in at this point, this could be the main FOX game, as former Washington Husky QB Michael Penix figures to make his first start against the Seahawks.
Week 15 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay feels like a late-season matchup to me. In a bit of irony, the league will send a Florida team to the Northwest as it's starting to get cold to make up for sending Seattle down to Florida in sweltering September.
Week 16 at Pittsburgh Steelers (Flexed to Sunday Night Football)
One of the rare good things NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has done for the league is the option of flexing in games to prime time slots late in the season. There's a good chance both Seattle and Pittsburgh will be fighting for their playoff spots at this point (assuming Pittsburgh figures out their QB situation), and given the history between the two, this would be a perfect flex spot for Week 16.
Week 17 at Washington Commanders
The Seattle Seahawks versus Dan Quinn should be an awesome late-season game. Add in some crappy weather and horrific field conditions and you have yourself a good old fashioned defensive slugfest.
Week 18 vs. Los Angeles Rams
Keeping this game for last seems like a cool idea, as the contest could legitimately be for the division title. Also, as I discussed with the Steelers, all of these late-season games can be flexed if they're important enough. And this one could be the most important in the league.