It's no secret that the Seattle Seahawks have a roster littered with top-tier, elite players on both offense and defense. Last season was the Seahawks' best in over a decade, thanks not only to those elite players but also to those not yet elite but still as impactful as the best of them.Â
Last season was a showcase of how a complete team fueled by deep brotherhood bonds can wreak havoc and win a Super Bowl. Veteran defensive leadership was instrumental in the Seahawks' success, with players like Ernest Jones IV and DeMarcus Lawrence, but the one veteran of 13 years in the NFL who led the team like no other was Leonard Williams.
Williams was the heartbeat of the Seahawks defense on the field, and as a player who had made the playoffs just once in his career, he wanted last season's championship more than anyone. It wasn't Williams's winning experience that made him so valuable to the Seahawks, but his leadership; and although he is rarely looked upon as a superstar, Seahawks media voices know better.Â
Seattle Sports' Mike Salk encourages Seahawks fans to view veteran Leonard Williams as he should be
A superstar—Williams is a superstar, proclaims Mike Salk of Seattle Sports' Brock and Salk radio show. Salk is right: Williams, although going nine seasons before playing in a playoff game, has been elite all along and the Seahawks' best defensive player since joining them in 2023.
Williams not only brings the hustle, strength, and skill at defensive end, but he also brings the exact measure of leadership every NFL team should covet.Â
According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, who recently polled various NFL executives, scouts, and coaches, Williams is widely considered the league's No. 1 defensive tackle. Williams isn't limited to that one position, though, as he can seamlessly travel from one defensive line position to another and has done so often for the Seahawks.
Williams is the best at his position, automatically making him one of the best football players in the NFL altogether. According to Salk, Williams is also a great human being, which further adds to the reasons to root for Williams. If he's better off the field than on, how can you miss?
Also, according to Salk, while speaking recently on his radio show, Leonard is not just an excellent, elite player, but he deserves a label usually awarded to quarterbacks and wide receivers. Salk believes Williams is a superstar and wants everyone to get on board with that.
"You’re talking about the No. 1 player at one of the most important positions on the field. If I was ranking NFL positions, quarterback is one, and then for me, it’s either D-end or D-line. And I think I could make you a pretty compelling case it’s D-line," Salk said. "So, Leonard Williams is one of the best players in the NFL – period. He is a superstar-level player. He was the best defensive player on the Super Bowl-winning Seahawks.
"The only problem is we don’t seem to talk about him that much," he continued. "We need to make a commitment – all of us, together – to remember to talk about our superstar here in Seattle."
Salk couldn't have said it any better. It's also true that lineman, while a handful are publicly considered elite at their position, don't get spoken of as much. That said, if future Hall of Fame defensive linemen like Myles Garrett, Cam Jordan, and Chris Jones get significant public recognition, Williams should too, because he's up there with those guys at their respective positions.Â
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