Sport Changers: How Rashid Shaheed Remodeled the Seahawks

[ad_1] The Seahawks’ acquisition of Rashid Shaheed forward of November’s commerce deadline has become among the best midseason strikes in current NFL historical past.

Needing reinforcements for a banged-up receiver room, Seattle normal supervisor John Schneider despatched the Saints fourth- and fifth-round picks on this 12 months's draft for the 2023 All-Professional return specialist. And Shaheed, who signed with New Orleans in 2022 as an undrafted free agent out of Weber State, has delivered in a large means.

He was named to his second Professional Bowl as a returner in 2025, delivering electrifying moments on each offense and particular groups to assist the Seahawks attain Tremendous Bowl LX, the place they’ll face the Patriots on Sunday.

"It was an awesome transfer initially," coach Mike Macdonald stated final month of buying Shaheed. "However from my perspective and the coaches' perspective, he is a participant that we actually respect."

Listed below are 3 ways Shaheed has reworked the Seahawks:

1. Scoring punch on particular groups That is the place Shaheed has made the most important influence, giving the Seahawks one of many NFL’s most feared particular groups items. In 11 video games with Seattle, together with the playoffs, the two-time Professional Bowler has three return touchdowns.

The primary got here in Week 14 in Atlanta, the place he returned the second-half kickoff 100 yards in a Seahawks win over the Falcons. Two weeks later, Shaheed had a 58-yard punt return landing within the fourth quarter of an extra time win over the Rams.

Then within the divisional spherical towards the Niners, he returned the opening kickoff 95 yards for a landing, sending Lumen Subject right into a frenzy and setting the tone for a dominant playoff victory over a division rival.

"When he is catching the ball in kickoff return," Macdonald stated after the sport, "[opponents are] like, ‘Oh, right here we go, we have to include this man.’"

2. Stretching the sector on offense The specter of Shaheed downfield could make it tougher for opposing defenses to cowl the Seahawks’ different pass-catchers, most notably Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who was the NFL’s main receiver in 2025 (1,793 yards).

Shaheed averaged 15.1 yards of depth on his routes and ran a vertical route at a 50.9% price with Seattle within the common season, in keeping with Subsequent Gen Stats. He averaged 12.5 yards per reception with the staff within the common season, up from 11.3 with the Saints in his first 9 video games of the 12 months.

His 51-yard reception on the Seahawks’ opening drive within the NFC Championship Sport towards the Rams arrange a landing for working again Kenneth Walker III.

From Week 10 (when he joined the Seahawks) by the tip of the common season, Shaheed recorded the third-highest playtime share among the many staff’s broad receivers, trailing solely Smith-Njigba (80.0%) and Cooper Kupp (77.0%).

The previous Saint had 15 receptions for 188 yards in 9 video games with Seattle within the common season. He additionally had seven carries for 64 yards, together with three first downs, in these appearances.

"He can run each single route, and his velocity is harmful," Smith-Njigba stated in December. "So groups have gotten to respect that, particularly if you happen to've obtained eyes on me or whoever."

[RELATED: 3 Keys to Victory for the Seahawks in Super Bowl LX]

3. Pace, velocity, velocity A observe star in highschool, Shaheed is among the NFL’s quickest gamers. His velocity has made a gifted Seahawks staff much more dynamic on offense and particular groups.

Based on Subsequent Gen Stats, he averaged 15.16 miles per hour on his routes with the Seahawks in 2025, which might be the fourth-fastest within the NFL throughout the common season amongst receivers who ran no less than 250 routes.

Forward of the NFC Championship Sport, he’d averaged 17.53 mph throughout his 16 kick returns since becoming a member of Seattle (together with postseason), the fourth-fastest mark among the many 47 gamers with no less than 10 returns in that span, per NGS.