Seahawks' last Super Bowl win: Revisiting 2013 Seattle team that dominated Broncos for title

Despite limited success prior to the turn of the century, being a 1976 expansion team in the NFL, the Seattle Seahawks have consistently been one of the league's elite teams in the 21st century.

Seattle has made three trips to the Super Bowl, often boasting one of the NFL's best defenses -- including its 2010s "Legion of Boom" era, which resulted in the franchise's first title and another close loss in the Super Bowl.

It's now been over a decade since the Seahawks were on top of the NFL. Still, they've continually been a threat to come out of the NFC, making eight playoff appearances since their last ring.

Here's a full breakdown of Seattle's last Super Bowl victory.

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When was the Seahawks last Super Bowl win?

The last time the Seahawks hoisted the Lombardi Trophy was after the 2013 season, when Pete Carroll and his "Legion of Boom" defense dominated the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII on Feb. 2, 2014.

From start to finish in the 2013 campaign, no other NFL team was on Seattle's level. Carroll, who had already established himself as one of the league's best coaches, helped his squad improve on an 11-5 mark in 2012 to go 13-3 the next season, winning the NFC West and becoming the No. 1 playoff seed in the conference.

With the difficulties of playing in Seattle, no NFC team could upset the Seahawks as a road opponent in the playoffs. Carroll's defense was elite, allowing the least amount of yards per game in the NFL by far (273.6), while a young Russell Wilson proved to be everything Seattle needed at quarterback. In the regular season, Wilson had 3,357 passing yards, 26 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Paired with a dominant power running back in Marshawn Lynch, the Seahawks' offense was just as dynamic.

In the playoffs, Seattle took down the Saints 23-15 in the divisional round, then the 49ers 23-17 to advance to the Super Bowl. The NFC Championship Game is now most famous for its final moments: star cornerback Richard Sherman made the game-sealing play, then ranted to Fox's Erin Andrews about 49ers receiver Michael Crabtree.

8 Years Ago Today...

Richard Sherman's dramatic last-minute deflection to teammate Malcolm Smith for the end zone interception that preserves the #Seahawks 23-17 victory over San Francisco in the 2013 NFC Championship pic.twitter.com/DT3hMl3R9D

— Kevin Gallagher (@KevG163) January 20, 2022

Seattle's momentum fully carried over to the Super Bowl. By halftime against Peyton Manning and the Broncos, the Seahawks led 22-0 thanks to a safety, two field goals, a touchdown run from Lynch and a 69-yard pick-six from Malcolm Smith.

The Broncos simply had no answers for Seattle's defensive dominance, eventually being blown out, 43-8. Percy Harvin had an 87-yard kickoff return touchdown, while Wilson added two touchdown passes in the second half.

It was Smith who earned the game's MVP award, adding his pick-six to 10 tackles and a fumble recovery. On a night where the Seahawks' all-time defense made life miserable for Manning, it was only right that a defensive player took home MVP honors.

The Seahawks did return to the Super Bowl the next season, facing the New England Patriots, but as many NFL fans will remember, Seattle narrowly lost that game 28-24 after a Malcolm Butler interception at the goal line.

MORE: Revisiting the iconic 2013 NFC Championship Game between Seahawks, 49ers

Who was the Seahawks quarterback in 2013?

Russell Wilson, the Seahawks' all-time leader in passing yards and touchdowns, was in his second NFL season as QB1 in Seattle when the team won Super Bowl XLVIII. Wilson was just 25 years old when he became a Super Bowl champion.

The third-round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft became a revelation in Seattle, offering dual-threat upside and a pretty deep ball that made Pete Carroll's offense one of the best in the league. Wilson became the face of Seattle's most successful era in franchise history — after winning a Super Bowl in Year 2, he would remain with the franchise for eight more seasons, including the 2014 Super Bowl loss and five additional playoff appearances.

With a clear argument as the best quarterback in Seahawks history, Wilson had a fast-track to stardom with Seattle after becoming a rookie starter in 2012, on top of the NFL world by the end of the 2013 campaign.

Wilson, a 10-time Pro Bowler, went on to be traded to the Denver Broncos in 2022, remaining with the team for two seasons. He spent the 2024 season with the Pittsburgh Steelers before most recently playing for the New York Giants in 2025, primarily as a backup.

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2013 Seahawks Super Bowl roster

Here is the full roster for Seattle's Super Bowl team in the 2013 season.

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