Hall's Super Bowl Quest
Seahawks Linebacker Derick Hall Prioritizes Super Bowl Contention, Opting Against Free Agency Market
Seattle Seahawks linebacker Derick Hall has signed a three-year, $42 million contract extension, forgoing free agency to stay with the team that just won Super Bowl LX. Hall, 25, said the decision was easy. "It was a no-brainer," he told Seahawks.com. "This is a pristine organization that allows me to be myself. You're going to win a lot of football games here."
The deal, which can reach $46.5 million with incentives, includes $21 million in guaranteed money and keeps Hall in Seattle through the 2029 season, according to AP News. At $14 million per year in average annual value, Hall ranks just 34th among edge rushers — well below the open market rate for a player of his caliber.
Super Bowl Hero Chose Loyalty Over a Bigger Payday
Hall entered the final year of his rookie deal with full leverage to test free agency. He chose not to. In Super Bowl LX on February 8, Hall recorded two sacks and a strip-sack as Seattle beat the New England Patriots 29-13, according to AP News. That performance put him in a strong position to command top dollar elsewhere. Instead, he called Seattle home.
Hall also praised head coach Mike Macdonald, calling his leadership "second to none," per AP News. The Seahawks lost edge rusher Boye Mafe to the Cincinnati Bengals earlier this offseason on a three-year, $60 million deal — roughly $20 million per year. Hall's $14 million AAV looks like a steep discount by comparison, according to Heavy Sports.
A Survival Story That Makes This Contract Feel Different
Hall was born four months premature on March 19, 2001, in Gulfport, Mississippi. He weighed 2 lbs 9 oz. Doctors gave him a 1% chance of survival, according to Newsday. He spent five months in the NICU. His mother, Stacy Gooden-Crandle, attended the signing ceremony on June 3 at the team's facility in Renton, Washington. She called the moment "unimaginable."
Hall went on to become a first-team All-SEC defender at Auburn. Seattle drafted him 37th overall in 2023 using a pick acquired in the Russell Wilson trade. He has built a foundation — called the One Percent Foundation — to support NICU families and fight food insecurity, per AP News.
GM John Schneider Locks Up a Key Piece on the Cheap
Seattle GM John Schneider engineered the deal as part of a broader strategy to keep homegrown talent without triggering bidding wars. Hall's 17 career sacks and 38 quarterback hits since 2023 make him a core piece of the defense, according to The Star. With Mafe gone, Hall now leads the edge rotation alongside DeMarcus Lawrence and Uchenna Nwosu.
The contract also gives Seattle room to extend All-Pro cornerback Devon Witherspoon later this summer, per Newsday. Some analysts called it a "steal." Others are more cautious. The newsletter Seaside Joe noted that Hall's defensive snap rate dropped from 60% in 2024 to 46% in 2025, and flagged an 18.9% missed tackle rate as areas to watch.
Hall's Career Numbers Back Up Seattle's Bet
Over 48 career games, Hall has recorded 105 tackles, 10 sacks, and two forced fumbles, according to Winnipeg Free Press. His breakout came in the 2024 season, when he started 14 games and posted a career-high eight sacks. His Super Bowl performance — two sacks and a forced fumble in a 16-point win — cemented his reputation as a big-game player.
Analysts at Yahoo Sports noted that Hall's pressure rate in advanced metrics suggests he may still be approaching his prime at 25. The Seahawks appear to be betting on that upside — and Hall is betting that Seattle gives him the best shot at more championships. "You're going to win a lot of football games here," he said. That, apparently, was enough.
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