The rare move that makes Byron Murphy the unsung hero of dominant Seahawks run D

5 days ago 2

The Seahawks defense is doing what you’re not supposed to be able to do in the NFL.

They are stopping the run while in “lighter,” nickel and dime defenses, with more, smaller defensive backs on the field. The rest of the league “stacks boxes” by bringing a safety, extra linebackers, extra linemen near the line of scrimmage — though that leaves defenses vulnerable to an offense countering with long pass routes targeting the single safety deep.

Whether expecting run or pass, coach Mike Macdonald has Seattle stay in its standard scheme. Notably, that’s with two safeties staying deep to prevent big pass plays. No team in the NFL plays more extra-defensive back sets, so-called “sub packages,” than the Seahawks. Seattle had five and six defensive backs on the field for 92% of its defensive snaps in the regular season, per Sharp Football Analysis. Half the rest of the league was at 70% or below.

Yet with the fewest big guys crowding the line, Seattle was number one in the NFL in allowing just 3.7 yards per rush.

So they are stopping the deep pass AND the run.

How?

Do-it-all rookie Nick Emmanwori, 6 feet 3 and 220 pounds listed somewhat misleadingly as a safety, moves all around the defense. “Honestly, with me at nickel we don’t have to go — people call it ‘big nickel,’ but I just see it as ‘nickel,’ in that case — teams don’t know how to attack us,” Emmanwori said Thursday.

“For example, the Niners (last weekend in the NFC West title game at San Francisco the Seahawks won 13-3) they were kind of, like, getting (fullback Kyle) Juszczyk trying to block me one on one, and account for me as a nickel. Some teams use (offensive) linemen.

“So, whatever they do, I don’t think it worked out very well, as far as the scheme. Because I’m a bigger body. I can move. I’m physical. I can play the run and the pass. It kind of gives teams a hard time trying to figure out how to run it.”

Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson (87) makes a reception under coverage from Seattle Seahawks safety Nick Emmanwori (3) during the third quarter of the game at Lumen Field, on Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025, in Seattle.

Macdonald also has Pro Bowl cornerback Devon Witherspoon moving from outside cornerback to inside nickel, slot corner. All the Seahawks move to the ball, for that matter. The team counts helmets in the frame of tackles, challenging the defensive players to get as close to all 11 at the ball by the play’s end as possible.

“You know, all 11 guys make it feel like 12 to the football, man,” Witherspoon said. “We play with relentless energy. Swag."

When middle linebacker Ernest Jones hit ball carriers, they go straight down. Jones’ philosophy of stopping lead running backs, such as Indianapolis’ Jonathan Taylor who entered the Colts’ game in Seattle last month the NFL’s rushing leader and left it gaining just 3.5 yards per carry (a yard and a half below his season average)?

“All 11 heads to the ball,” Jones said, “and let’s hit him hard.”

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor (28) runs into a wall of Seattle Seahawks defenders during the third quarter of the game at Lumen Field, on Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Seattle.

Yet the biggest thing the Seahawks do to stop the run is rely on their front four to do it largely by themselves.

Seattle enters the playoffs with their divisional round game next week, following this week’s bye as the NFC’s top seed, having not allowed a 100-yard rushing in 26 consecutive games. That’s the longest such streak in the NFL. It’s longest in team history.

Yes, not even the “Legion of Boom” Seahawks defense that was the league’s top-ranked defense, the least scored-on defense four years in a row, won a Super Bowl and played in a second 11 years ago was as excellent at stopping the run as this team.

Pro Bowl defensive end Leonard Williams gets attention for sacks — and even an interception returned the length of the field for a touchdown against Aaron Rodgers last season in a Seattle win at the New York Jets.

But he takes more pride in how he and his fellow Seahawks defensive linemen stop running games.

“As much as it feels good to get a sack, that feels just as good to hear,” Williams aid this week, when reminded of the streak of not allowing a 100-yard rushing day.

“You know, when we can play with two-high safety (schemes) and stop the run with just four down linemen, knowing that at least two or three of us are getting double teams.

“That means not only are we stopping the double team but we are beating the double teams.

“To see our front be able to stop the run with just four guys is a testament to how we value and take pride in stopping the run.”

Byron Murphy is the biggest unsung hero of this heroic Seahawks defense.

Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Byron Murphy II (91) reacts to a sack on Minnesota Vikings quarterback Max Brosmer (12) during the fourth quarter of the game at Lumen Field, on Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025, in Seattle.

Byron Murphy’s heroics

Because Seattle is in two-deep safety looks with five and six defensive backs so often, offensive linemen have fewer Seahawks defensive-front guys to block on running plays. That means Murphy gets double-teamed all the time.

Macdonald calls Murphy, the team’s powerful, quick, first-round draft choice out of Texas in 2024, “the best in the world right now, especially at A-gap (between the guard and center) double-teams.”

The 6-foot, 306-pound Murphy does it with a technique coaches don’t teach, because of how difficult it is to do as effectively as he does.

When two offensive linemen contact Murphy on the interior of the line of scrimmage, Murphy drops to one knee. From there, Murphy thrusts one arm into the arm to split the double-team, like a kneeling shoulder press (or, for CrossTraining folks, a kettle-bell get-up).

He does it with such strength, quickness and force, the arm thrust usually blows through both blockers a rocket through clouds.

Sometimes if it’s a quick-hitting run he stays on the knee to ruin the play. Often, Murphy gets off the knee and the ground back onto both feet with the quickness of a 175-pound wide receiver, not the 300-plus pound tackle he is. “’Murph’ is one of the best in the league that I’ve seen do it in my career,” Williams, an 11-year veteran said of the 23-year-old Murphy. “And he’s a young guy.”

Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Byron Murphy II (91) reacts to a tackle against Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor (28) during the first quarter of the game at Lumen Field, on Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Seattle.

Backs expecting a clear path to run with the ball because of that double-team block find Murphy standing at the line of scrimmage suddenly unblocked. The running backs panic, run away from the free tackle — usually right into Williams, fellow end DeMarcus Lawrence, or Jones plugging the rushing lane.

They get all the tackles and notoriety. Murphy gets the shaft. His teammates and coaches are still talking about how Murphy didn’t make the Pro Bowl this season, even though his seven sacks were second to Tennessee’s Jeffery Simmons for most in the league for interior tackles.

And even though Murphy is, as Macdonald says, “the best in the world” blowing up run blocks. Murphy’s approach against the run: “Just stay connected on blocks...and not get knocked back.”

The Seahawks can thank Bo Davis for this.

Murphy said he learned the move from Davis when he was Murphy’s defensive-line coach his freshman year at the University of Texas. Davis, now the defensive line coach for the New Orleans Saints, taught the dropping to one knee versus double teams by having Murphy do in on the blocking sled every practice day. Davis wanted to take advantage of Murphy’s unique speed and strength for his relatively shorter height.

That was in 2021. He’s been using the move ever since, including as the Big 12 Conference defensive linemen of the year in 2023.

Murphy is so good against both the run and pass, Macdonald and the Seahawks defense can’t afford to take him off the field.

Last season as a rookie he’d yet to assert himself as an NFL pass rusher. So Murphy played less than 50% of Seattle’s defensive snaps. This season he’s at 70%.

In Seattle’s week-16 win at Carolina, he played a career-high 71 snaps. The Panthers double-teamed Murphy on most running plays — yet managed just 2.7 yards per carry. That was the lowest Seattle allowed all regular season. The Seahawks trounced Carolina 27-10.

Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Byron Murphy II (91) wraps up New Orleans Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler (2) during the third quarter of the game at Lumen Field, on Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025 in Seattle.

The next for Byron Murphy, Seahawks’ D

Last Saturday night in Santa Clara, California, Murphy was in the back of the visiting locker room. It was pulsating with blaring music and filled with the smoke of celebratory cigars after the Seahawks beat the 49ers.

The News Tribune asked the defensive tackle if he envisioned holding All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey to 23 yards on eight carries and San Francisco to just three points, their fewest in a game in 8 1/2 years.

“I feel like anything is realistic, when you put your mind to it and you put the work in. We know it’s a competitive league. But if we don’t want a team to score, we can make that happen.

“Anything’s possible.”

But nothing’s settled. He and his Seahawks are focused on their playoff opener next weekend, likely Saturday, Jan. 17 at Lumen Field.

As Witherspoon said Thursday: “We didn’t come this far just to come this far.” They are two home wins from the Super Bowl.

“All I know is the job is not finished, man. It’s not done,” Murphy said.

“But I’m blessed. I know my guys, we’re blessed to be in this position, man.”