The 2018 season is the Seattle Seahawks' 43rd in the National Football League and their ninth under head coachPete Carroll. The Seahawks are trying to improve on their 9–7 record from the 2017 season. They will also play in London for the first time in franchise history, taking on the Oakland Raiders in Week 6. This is the first season since 2011 that the team will not feature the original Legion of Boom defensive unit.
This is the first season since 2011 not to have Richard Sherman on the roster as he was released on March 9, 2018 and signed with the division rival San Francisco 49ers.
Michael Bennett, another long time Seahawks player was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles on March 7, 2018. His fellow defensive lineman Cliff Avril was also released by the team on May 4, 2018.
It is also the first season since 2009 that Kam Chancellor is not on the roster as he announced his retirement on July 1, 2018 due to the neck injury he sustained in week 10 of the 2017 season.
On August 20, 2018 longtime Seahawks punter Jon Ryan was released from the team. He was the last remaining player still on the Seahawks who was a part of the franchise before coach Pete Carroll took over in 2010. With his release the Seahawks look to their fifth-round rookie Michael Dickson to take over punting duties.
This season is notable for featuring the NFL’s first player with only one hand, as the Seahawks drafted Shaquem Griffin in the fifth-round of the 2018 NFL Draft out of UCF. He is the twin brother of Seahawks cornerback Shaquill Griffin.
Paul Allen, who had owned the team since 1996, died of cancer on October 15, 2018 at the age of 65.
The Seahawks traded their second- and seventh-round selections (49th and 235th overall), and wide receiver Jermaine Kearse to the New York Jets in exchange for the Jets' seventh-round selection (226th overall) and defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson.
The Seahawks traded their third-round selection (80th overall) and their second-round selection in 2019 to Houston in exchange for Houston's fifth-round selection (141st overall) and offensive tackle Duane Brown.
The Seahawks traded their sixth-round selection (192nd overall) and running back Marshawn Lynch to Oakland in exchange for Oakland's their fifth-round selection (146th overall).
The Seahawks traded their fifth-round selection (156th overall) to Philadelphia in exchange for Philadelphia's seventh-round selection (250th overall) and offensive tackle Matt Tobin.
The Seahawks traded defensive end Cassius Marsh to New England in exchange for New England's fifth- and seventh-round selections (168th and 250th overall).
The Seahawks traded cornerback Tramaine Brock to Minnesota in exchange for Minnesota's seventh-round selection (248th overall).
The Seahawks traded their seventh-round selection (250th overall) to New England in exchange for cornerback Justin Coleman.
On January 11, 2018, the NFL announced that the Seahawks will play the Oakland Raiders in a London Game in London, England, with the Raiders serving as the home team. The game site, originally slated for Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, was later moved to Wembley Stadium. The game, which will be the Seahawks' first appearance in the International Series, will occur during Week 6 on October 14. The network time was announced in conjunction with the release of the 2018 regular season schedule.[1]
The remainder of the Seahawks' 2018 schedule, with exact dates and times, was announced on April 19.
^ abNew Orleans finished ahead of LA Rams based on head-to-head victory, claiming the No. 1 seed.
^ abcAtlanta finished ahead of Washington based on head-to-head victory. Atlanta finished ahead of Carolina based on head-to-head sweep. Washington finished ahead of Carolina based on head-to-head victory.
^ abNY Giants finished ahead of Tampa Bay based on head-to-head victory.
^When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest-ranked remaining team from each division.
