Field Gulls
One of the (literal) larger pieces on the Seahawks defense will not see the field in the 2025 season.
Sadly, nose tackle Johnathan Hankins has been ruled out for the remainder of the current NFL campaign, as he has been battling a back issue since training camp.
This is the big run-plugger’s 13th season in the National Football League. He was re-signed by Seattle after playing in all 17 games for the blue and green last year. The re-signing was celebrated after his durability, his five TFLs, and his first career interception. Hankins led all nose tackles in TFLs after three games in 2024 and had to be informed of this by a reporter!
Mike Macdonald had this to say of big Hank when he was re-signed back in May: “We’re excited to get him back. I wouldn’t say it’s a major void because we have guys that can play in the A-gap, but, yeah, when you watch tape last year, he played some pretty dang good football for us. Excited to get him back”.
Although that excitement has now dissipated, Coach Macdonald’s quote about other players who have the ability to man the interior A-gap has proven prescient. Both Jarran Reed and Byron Murphy II have moved in and out of a traditional nose tackle role, while reserves like Brandon Pili and Quinton Bohanna have had their moments to shine in that role as well.
The Seattle Seahawks rank in the top five for both fewest rushing yards allowed (935) as well as fewest rushing scores allowed (6). When Johnathan Hankins was originally signed to Seattle in 2024, former Cowboys (one of Hankins’ previous stops) DL coach and now Seahawks DC, Aden Durde cited his “ability to mentor” as a factor. It’s nice to think that he has rubbed off on some of the younger players on the Hawks’ roster.
