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How the Seahawks were built: Analyzing key draft picks, signings

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For the first time in 11 years, the Seattle Seahawks are back in the Super Bowl.

You may remember how their last appearance in the big game ended — and even if you don’t, it will be played enough this week that you’ll be seeing it in your sleep.

However, Malcolm Butler’s goal-line interception wasn’t just one of the most memorable plays in NFL history, but it was also a cautionary tale of why missed opportunities are so crushing in the NFL.

Despite a roster littered with All-Pros, led by Russell Wilson and the “Legion of Boom,” that Seahawks group never even made another NFC championship game.

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But over a decade later, here they are again, with new offensive stars, a new head coach and another dominant defence.

So, how did a team that missed the playoffs the past two seasons end up playing for a Lombardi Trophy? Here’s a look at how the 2025 Seahawks were built:

While the New England Patriots spent $209 million in free agency this off-season to reshape their Super Bowl LX roster, the core of this Seahawks team was built primarily through the draft.

There’s just one glaring exception — their quarterback.

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After a blockbuster trade sent QB Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders this off-season, the Seahawks decided to hand the keys of their offence to Sam Darnold on a three-year, $105-million deal.

At the time, there was some warranted skepticism about Seattle’s decision. Despite coming off a 14-win season with the Minnesota Vikings, Darnold fell apart when the games mattered the most.

His tenure with the Vikings ended with a blowout loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the wild-card round, where Darnold was sacked nine times and threw an interception.

But Seattle’s willingness to still bet on Darnold has proven to be one of the best moves of the entire off-season.

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The 28-year-old pivot threw for 4,048 yards and 25 touchdowns this season, leading Seattle to a 14-3 record and the No. 1 seed in the NFC.

As for the narrative that he can’t show up when the lights get bright?

In Seattle’s two playoff games, Darnold has completed 70 per cent of his passes for 470 yards and four touchdowns. Most importantly, he hasn’t turned the ball over once.

In the NFC championship game, Darnold made big-time throw after big-time throw, and was the main reason why the Seahawks were able to pull out a shootout win over the Rams.

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The biggest test of all still awaits, but win or lose on Sunday, the Darnold experiment can be seen as nothing other than a smashing success for Seattle.

Other notable free agents: WR Cooper Kupp (2025), DE Dexter Lawrence (2025)

Much like the “Legion of Boom” era, this Seahawks roster has been built primarily through the draft.

After a rough stretch in the mid-to-late 2010s, long-time Seattle GM John Schneider found his magic touch again in recent years.

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Twenty-six of the 53 players on Seattle’s active roster for the NFC championship were selected by the team, including its biggest star.

Offensive player of the year favourite Jaxon Smith-Njigba tops the list, as the Seahawks drafted the Ohio State product with the No. 20 overall pick in 2023. In just his third season, the 23-year-old has blossomed into one of the most exciting offensive stars the league has to offer.

Smith-Njigba led the NFL with 1,793 yards on 119 receptions and instantly became Danrold’s go-to target.

Starting running back Kenneth Walker was a third-round selection in 2022, and four of Seattle’s five starting offensive linemen were also selected on draft day.

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But the Seahawks made the Super Bowl this season largely on the backs of their dominant defence, and that’s where Schneider’s brilliance really shows.

Corner Devon Witherspoon was the team’s No. 5 pick in the 2023 draft, and has turned into one of the league’s top corners. In fact, the 25-year-old graded as the league’s No. 1 corner this season, per PFF.

Defensive tackle Byron Murphy, a key cog on an intimidating Seattle D-line, was the team’s first-round pick in 2024.

But Schneider might have saved his best for 2025, when he selected safety Nick Emmanwori early in the second round.

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A finalist for this year’s defensive rookie of the year award, Emmanwori’s versatility has done wonders for Mike Macdonald’s defence.

As a big-bodied defensive back, his ability to both cover and step up and help with the run has allowed the Seahawks to play in their preferred nickel defence at a league-high rate. The strategy has proven very difficult for opposing offences to deal with.

All of this to say, if the Seahawks win their second Super Bowl in franchise history, the draft will be the main reason why once again.

Other notable draft picks: OT Charles Cross (Round 1, 2022), OT Abraham Lucas (3, 2022), OG Grey Zabel (1, 2025), S Coby Bryant (4, 2022), TE AJ Barner (4, 2024)

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While the Smith trade was key because it opened the door for Darnold, it was actually the trade of Smith’s predecessor that gave the Seahawks the most bang for their buck.

The Denver Broncos paid a king’s ransom for Wilson, giving up five picks and a few players for the long-time Seattle star.

While the move set the Broncos back a few years, Witherspoon and Cross were two of the players that Seattle ended up with because of the trade.

It’s never easy to move on from a long-time face of the franchise, but the Seahawks moved Wilson at the perfect time.

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The Seahawks did a similar thing this off-season when they traded star WR DK Metcalf to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Though the return wasn’t nearly the same as the Wilson deal, it opened the door for Smith-Njigba to take on the leading role like the Smith trade did for Darnold.

Other notable players acquired by trade: WR/KR Rashid Shaheed, DT Leonard Williams, LB Ernest Jones IV

He won’t gain a yard or record a tackle in the Super Bowl on Sunday, but the Seahawks’ most important personnel decision might have come on Jan. 31, 2024.

That was the day the team hired former Baltimore Ravens defensive co-ordinator Mike Macdonald to be its next head coach.

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Taking over for the legendary Pete Carroll, Macdonald had big shoes to fill, but has passed with flying colours.

In just two seasons, Macdonald has helped transform a Seahawks defence that ranked near the bottom of the league to one of the top units in the NFL.

Along with Mike Vrabel, his counterpart in the Super Bowl, Macdonald is a deserving candidate to win this season’s coach of the year award.

And if his very first speech to the team is any indication, the Seahawks appear to have found their leader for years to come:

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Louis Rees-Zammit: ‘No bigger game’ than Wales v England, says full-back

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As a poster boy of world rugby, Rees-Zammit’s return to the Six Nations is not only a boost for Wales, but for fans and media alike.

“I try to not focus on that,” Rees-Zammit said.

“Everything that I’ve had off the field has come from my skills in rugby, and obviously going to America brought a new audience, but it’s all about performance.

“You’ve got Henry Pollock going through the same thing, he’s burst on to the scene and is playing unbelievably.”

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And while England’s Pollock ruffles a few feathers, Rees-Zammit believes it is for the good of the game.

“You’ve got to try and bring your personality out when it comes to rugby, because a lot of it gets shut down,” he added.

“Henry is doing a great job of bringing his personality to the game and we need more people like that, it’ll just grow the sport.

“He obviously gets stick for it, and I got stick for it when I was younger, but you just go through it.”

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You can watch Sarra Elgan’s Six Nations 2026 Preview at 19:00 on Wednesday, 4 February on BBC One Wales and iPlayer.

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Avalanche look to build momentum vs. Sharks before Olympic break

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NHL: Colorado Avalanche at Toronto Maple LeafsJan 25, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon (29) reacts after missing a scoring chance against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the second period at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

A month ago, the Colorado Avalanche were chasing NHL history as one of the best regular-season teams, but with one game left before the Olympic break, they are struggling and feeling pressure in the standings.

Colorado is 3-5-2 in its last 10 games and is coming off its first scoreless game of the season but can enter the hiatus with some momentum when it hosts the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday night.

The Avalanche still lead the league with 81 points, but the teams in second and third place are in their division — Minnesota and Dallas, which have won four and five games in a row, respectively. The Wild have 76 points and the Stars 75, narrowing the gap on Colorado in recent weeks.

Injuries have played a part, but the Avalanche did get defenseman Devon Toews back from a 12-game absence in Monday night’s 2-0 loss to Detroit, and forward Martin Necas is expected to return Wednesday night. He has missed the last two games with an upper-body injury.

Necas is second on the team with 62 points (22 goals, 40 assists), well behind Nathan MacKinnon, who has 91 points (40 goals, 51 assists). MacKinnon leads the NHL in goals and is second in points.

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One bright spot for Colorado is goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood’s performance. He has allowed only one goal, making 51 saves on 52 shots in two games against the Red Wings.

“He’s stringing together some nice games here,” head coach Jared Bednar said. “He’s getting back in the swing of things. … He’s given us a chance to win every night.”

Blackwood’s former team visits on Wednesday night, led by 19-year-old Macklin Celebrini. The young center ranks fourth in the NHL with 81 points (28 goals, 53 assists) and has registered four goals and five assists in his last five games.

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San Jose has struggled lately as well, having lost its last three games and four of its last six. Wednesday night will wrap up a five-game road trip and is the final of three matchups against the Avalanche this season.

The Sharks beat Colorado in overtime on Nov. 1 but were routed 6-0 in the second game on Nov. 26.

San Jose won’t have enforcer Ryan Reaves in the lineup Wednesday night after he was placed on injured reserve with an upper-body injury. That opens a roster spot, which will likely be filled by forward Kiefer Sherwood, who would make his Sharks debut.

Sherwood (upper body) was acquired from Vancouver two weeks ago but hasn’t played since Jan. 10. Sherwood, who played 27 games for the Avalanche between 2020 and 2022, has 17 goals and six assists and is two goals away from matching his career high set last season.

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San Jose is currently outside the playoff picture in the competitive Western Conference, so every point matters.

“We’ve got one game left until the (Olympics) break,” head coach Ryan Warsofsky said. “We’ve got to really zero in on the things we need to do that have made us have success up to this point.”

–Field Level Media

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‘It’s just magical’ – Arsenal celebrate reaching first final in six years

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Mikel Arteta hailed a magical night after Arsenal beat Chelsea 1-0 in the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final to reach a first Wembley final in six years.

Leading 3-2 on aggregate, the hosts weathered late pressure at the Emirates before Kai Havertz scored on the break in the seventh minute of stoppage time to set up a meeting with either Manchester City or Newcastle on March 22.

Not since Arteta’s first season in charge when the Gunners lifted the FA Cup inside an empty national stadium during the coronavirus pandemic have the team given themselves the chance to play for silverware, but their recent domestic wobble appears to be firmly behind them after they dug deep in a game of few chances.

“It’s the best vitamins we can put in our bodies,” said Arteta.

“We’re playing every three days. The fact that we worked so hard to achieve this moment and to have this moment together, it’s just magical. You can see the joy, the smiles, the energy in the dressing room.”

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A buoyant atmosphere inside the ground helped Arsenal over the line, with the mood transformed from the nervousness that appeared to affect the team during January’s goalless draw with Liverpool and defeat to Manchester United here.

“The crowd was brilliant,” said Arteta. “They brought so much energy and belief to the team in different moments when it was very much needed. We deserve to be together at Wembley in a few weeks.

“The energy was very good. From the beginning I sensed that it was different.”

Saturday’s 4-0 win away to Leeds, which ended a three-game winless run in the Premier League and sent the team six points clear, also seemed to restore much of the confidence that fired their ascent to the summit during the first half of the season.

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Questions will likely continue to surround Arteta and his team until the 22-year wait for the title is ended but the manager was confident that booking their place at Wembley can provide a springboard.

“It’s about learning from previous experiences,” he said. “Today was a very different game from the (fist leg) at Stamford Bridge. We dealt with it really well, the way the team competed and understood what we had to do. Really impressive. Now let’s win the final.”

For Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior, defeat ended a five-game winning run.

It was, though, a significantly improved performance from the first leg which came during a turbulent week just a few days after his appointment.

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“In the first leg, I’m not making excuses, but we had an illness go through the camp on the day of the game – we had four players missing – and I’d been in charge for three days,” he said.

“I cannot fault the application, intensity or the fight of the players.

“What we need to do is remember this is the start and I’m really, really happy with a lot of things I’m seeing.

“You want to get the results, but we need to make sure we rest and recover and we keep improving as we go.”

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MCC rewrites cricket rulebook with 73 law changes: Final over to be mandatory, ‘bunny hop catch’ removed | Cricket News

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MCC rewrites cricket rulebook with 73 law changes: Final over to be mandatory, ‘bunny hop catch’ removed
The MCC said the revisions were aimed at keeping the laws “up to date and fit for the modern game”.

NEW DELHI: In one of the most significant updates to cricket’s rulebook in recent years, the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) has announced 73 changes to the Laws of Cricket, with the amendments — the first new edition since 2022 — set to come into effect from October this year. The governing body said the revisions were aimed at keeping the laws “up to date and fit for the modern game” while ensuring greater clarity and inclusivity across formats and levels.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Among the headline changes is a new rule mandating that the final over of a day in multi-day matches must be completed even if a wicket falls, a move MCC believes will preserve the drama and competitive balance of the game.The MCC explained that it was “unfair” when a fielding side took a late wicket but the batting team avoided sending out a new batter, adding that the unused deliveries only had to be made up the next day and often reduced the spectacle. Under the revised law, the over will now be bowled in full provided playing conditions remain suitable.

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Key law changes announced by MCC

Mandatory completion of final over

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  • If a wicket falls during the last over of the day in multi-day cricket, the over must be finished.
  • MCC said the change restores drama and prevents incoming batters from escaping a testing period late in the day.

Wicketkeeper positioning clarified

  • Keepers will no longer be penalised for having gloves marginally ahead of the stumps during the bowler’s run-up.
  • The law now states that the wicketkeeper must be wholly behind the stumps only after the ball is released, aligning it with fielder positioning rules.

‘Bunny hop catch’ removed

  • Fielders going beyond the boundary may touch the ball only once while airborne and must then land fully inside the boundary for the remainder of the play.
  • If a fielder parries the ball from outside to a teammate inside and then steps out again, it will be ruled a boundary.

Laminated bats legalised in open-age cricket

  • Laminated bats — made by bonding multiple pieces of wood — are now permitted beyond junior levels.
  • MCC believes the move could help tackle rising bat costs, though elite players are still expected to use traditional single-willow bats.

New ball sizes for women’s and junior cricket

  • The governing body introduced Size 1, Size 2 and Size 3 balls.
  • While Size 1 (traditionally used in men’s cricket) remains unchanged, uniform margins now create clearer categories tailored to different levels of the game.

Overthrow defined for the first time

  • An overthrow is now officially described as a throw at the stumps to prevent runs or attempt a run-out.
  • Misfields near the boundary will no longer be treated as overthrows.

Fielding captain’s role in deliberate short runs

  • The fielding side gains additional authority to decide which batter faces the next ball in cases of deliberate short running, expanding existing provisions.

Ball considered ‘finally settled’ sooner

  • The ball will be deemed settled when held by any fielder or stationary on the ground.
  • It no longer has to be in the bowler’s or wicketkeeper’s hands.

The MCC said the sweeping revisions were shaped through consultations at its World Cricket Connects forum, including input from current and former women’s players as well as equipment manufacturers.(With inputs from PTI)

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Take Two CEO Strauss Zelnick confirms that GTA 6 does not use Generative AI

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Take Two Interactive’s CEO, Strauss Zelnick, recently confirmed that GTA 6 will not be using generative AI to procedurally generate its world. Ever since the game’s development was officially announced, enthusiasts discussed whether Rockstar Games was using any Artificial Intelligence to build it. While modern titles often use different kinds of AI, GTA 6 will not be using Generative AI.

Speaking to Games Industry.biz, Take Two Interactive’s CEO explained that Rockstar Games create their games very carefully, developing every single world detail from the ground up. He added that because of such attention to detail, they can make gripping and immersive entertainment products.

Here’s what Strauss Zelnick said:

“Specifically with regards to GTA 6, Generative AI has zero part in what Rockstar Games is building. Their worlds are handcrafted. That’s what differentiates them. They’re built from the ground up, building by building, street by street, neighborhood by neighborhood. They’re not procedurally generated, they shouldn’t be. That’s what makes great entertainment.”

This is not the first time Zelnick has spoken against generative AI. In a conversation with CNBC a few months ago, he explained that anything created using the technology cannot be protected or copyrighted. Additionally, it might not be as good as real developers, creating a title from the ground up.


Despite GTA 6 not using Generative AI, Take Two CEO shows interest in use of AI in games

While Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick confirmed that GTA 6 will not use generative AI, he stated that he has always been interested in other AI tools being used in the gaming industry. Speaking to Games Industry.biz, he said that Take-Two has been an industry leader in using various Artificial Intelligence, which have helped their studios save time and money.

Here’s what he said:

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“On the topic of AI, I’ve been enthusiastic since the very beginning. This company’s products have always been built with machine learning and artificial intelligence. We’ve actually always been a leader in the space, and right now we have hundreds of pilots and implementations across our company, including within our studios. And we’re already seeing instances where generative AI tools are driving costs and time efficiencies.”

One of the most commonly used AI in video games is when developers create NPCs (non-playable characters). These are characters that roam around or drive around the game world. They can react to various incidents and even remember the protagonists and their actions.

It is safe to say that GTA 6, which is set to release on November 19, 2026, will have a great NPC system, along with various other AI tools.


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