Matt Calkins: Seahawks' John Schneider still has much to prove after extension

Matt Calkins, The Seattle Times on Aug 1, 2025

Published in Football

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SEATTLE — Okay.

Or maybe better put — Ooooookay?

My guess is that was the reaction from many a Seahawks fan in response to news Wednesday that the contract of the team's general manager, John Schneider, was going to be extended through 2031.

Because for the past few years — or even the rougher part of the past decade — the Seahawks have been just that: Okay.

Schneider's career résumé, of course, ranks up there with any of the NFL's top active GMs. Working in lockstep with then-coach Pete Carroll, he constructed a Super Bowl roster that featured one of the most dominant defenses in NFL history — all through a series of shrewd moves and A-list draft acumen.

A first-round pick on Earl Thomas, a second-round pick on Bobby Wagner, a third-round pick on Russell Wilson, a fourth-round pick on K.J. Wright, and fifth-round picks on Kam Chancellor and Richard Sherman? "Draft Day" was one of the most unrealistic sports movies in history, but Schneider nabbing all that talent in the late rounds over three years seems almost as preposterous. Throw in a midseason trade for Marshawn Lynch, and you have the makings of a maestro.

But as Andre 3000 said, "You only funky as your last cut. And the Seahawks have A) won just one playoff game since 2016, and B) missed the playoffs the past two years. Last season, mind you, was the first in which Schneider had the final say in all personnel matters. That hammer used to lie in the hands of Carroll.

So given that Schneider's contract ran through 2027, it seemed like it would have made sense to wait a year, see how the Seahawks perform, and then negotiate his future. So why didn't the team's brass — led by owner Jody Allen — do that? A few possible reasons:

— The Seahawks haven't been great in a decade, but despite that stomach-churning Super Bowl loss in February 2015, they've been competitive ever since. In fact, their only losing season in the past 14 years came in 2021 — when Wilson missed three games due to injury and needed another three to find his form — when they went 7-10. Do you know how hard it is to hold your head above water nearly every season in what may be the most parity-filled league in professional sports? And yet the Seahawks keep doing it … and keep selling out Lumen Field in the process.

— Schneider has made some smart moves. The unloading of Wilson in 2022 was one of the biggest shocks in Seattle sports history. But given the return they got from Denver — most notably first-round draft picks that begot left tackle Charles Cross and cornerback Devon Witherspoon — and Russell's decline, it was shocking but savvy. Schneider also hired Mike Macdonald as coach, who lived up to his billing in his first year last season, turning a Seahawks team that finished 30th in total defense in 2023 into one that finished 14th. The uptick wasn't just coaching, though. It was also due to key acquisitions such as defensive tackle Leonard Williams and linebacker Ernest Jones IV. That's Schneider's doing.

— Allen wanted some stability. Let's say that the Seahawks would have gone 8-9 next season and Schneider had yet to be extended. A media blitz about whether he should stay aboard would have ensued, causing unwanted tension that might have caused Schneider to pursue another job. As I said earlier, the man's career résumé sparkles — it's unlikely he would be without options. So liking what John did with Wilson, enjoying the sold-out stadium and admiring the coaching hire, Jody locked him up for the next five years. One fewer thing to worry about, right?

Personally? I was a little surprised by the extension. Not because I don't think Schneider was instrumental in the Seahawks' Super Bowl win and two NFC championships — and not because I don't think he's been vital to Seattle being one of the NFC's most consistent teams. It's that I see what fans see: This team hasn't done anything significant in a while.

Plus, there were some bad moves. The deal to acquire — and then extend — safety Jamal Adams being the most egregious. And the drafting over the years has been anticlimactic — with no picks on offense or defense becoming All-Pros since the 2012 draft class. And the offensive line — well, no need to expand. It's been rough.

I'm not saying the Seahawks whiffed with the extension. Not at all. There's a track record with Schneider, and this could pay off. Still, though it doesn't seem Schneider has to prove much more to his bosses — he still has a lot to prove to the fans.

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