Seahawks May Have a Hard Schedule in 2026, But Here's What Really Matters

The Seattle Seahawks will have 10 of their 17 games this upcoming season against playoff teams from a year ago.

It's never easy being the defending Super Bowl champions, but the NFL schedule forces teams that win to prove they still belong, which is what the Seahawks hope to do.

Seahawks 2026 Opponents

Home Opponents

Arizona Cardinals
Los Angeles Rams
San Francisco 49ers
Dallas Cowboys
New York Giants
Kansas City Chiefs
Los Angeles Chargers
Chicago Bears
New England Patriots

Away Opponents

Arizona Cardinals
Los Angeles Rams
San Francisco 49ers
Philadelphia Eagles
Washington Commanders
Denver Broncos
Las Vegas Raiders
Carolina Panthers

Balance is Key For Seahawks

Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Maconald looks on after defeating the Los Angeles Rams — Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald looks on after defeating the Los Angeles Rams | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

The most important thing for the Seahawks for their 2026 schedule is balance. The hope is that they won't face any major gauntlets at any point in the season, especially towards the end of the year. It's also important that the Seahawks can get a bye towards the middle of the season so that they don't have to go too long without rest.

Only one Super Bowl winner in the last 12 years, the 2024 Philadelphia Eagles, had their bye before Week 7. Last season, the Seahawks had their bye in Week 8.

Look For the Last Four Weeks

The final four weeks of the NFL season are often when the strength of schedule transforms from a theoretical metric into a physical reality. For the Seahawks, this is about the accumulation of travel and rest advantages.

Last season, the NFC West race came down to the final week of the season and the Seahawks needed a win on the road to clinch the division and the No. 1 seed in the NFC. They were fortunate to win, but they would ideally like it if they could wrap it up sooner.

Granted, the NFC West was extremely competitive last season, and 13 wins weren't enough to secure first place in the division. However, with the 49ers and Rams breathing down the Seahawks' necks again, it's possible that it could come down to Week 18 once again.

If Seattle is forced to face a rested opponent coming off a Thursday night game or a bye while they are on a short week, the hard schedule becomes exponentially more difficult to navigate, regardless of the names on the jersey.

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