RENTON, Wash. -- The confetti has long since been swept from the streets of Seattle, the Lombardi Trophy has its designated spot in the team facility, and the championship banners are hanging. But for the Seattle Seahawks, the work to chase a second consecutive Super Bowl title began in earnest on Monday.
The Seahawks kicked off Phase Two of their voluntary offseason workout program at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center on May 4, 2026, with quarterback Sam Darnold and wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba among the key players participating in the first on-field sessions of the 2026 campaign. The team released a photo gallery documenting the day, giving fans their first extended look at the defending champions as they begin the methodical climb toward a potential repeat.
It's a welcome sight for a franchise that achieved the ultimate prize just a few months ago but one that understands the NFL calendar waits for no one. Phase Two -- which allows for on-field individual and group instruction, drills, and installation work without live contact -- is the next logical step after the strength and conditioning-focused Phase One that ran through April. For a team with a new offensive identity taking shape, these weeks are more important than the calendar might suggest.
What Phase Two Means for the Seahawks
For those unfamiliar with NFL offseason workout programs, they are divided into three phases. Phase One focused on rehabilitation, strength training, and meeting with coaches -- no footballs, helmets, or contact, just foundational conditioning. Phase Two, which began Monday, changes the equation significantly.
Players can now work on the field with coaches. Individual position drills are allowed. Group instruction is permitted. And -- crucially for an offense still learning the nuances of coordinator Brian Fleury's system -- installation work and controlled drills between offensive and defensive players are on the agenda. The only thing prohibited is live contact. There are no pads, full-speed tackling, or full team drills. Those come in Phase Three, which includes Organized Team Activities (OTAs) and mandatory minicamp later this month.
Phase Two offers the bridge between the weight room and the practice field. It's where footwork, timing, route trees, and coverage recognition begin to take shape. For a quarterback like Sam Darnold, entering his second season with the Seahawks after a remarkable redemption arc culminating in a Super Bowl victory, these reps hold significant importance.
Darnold's Championship Pedigree
When Sam Darnold arrived in Seattle a year ago, the narrative was of a journeyman quarterback seeking one last chance. The former No. 3 overall pick had been written off by multiple organizations, bouncing from the New York Jets to the Carolina Panthers and then the San Francisco 49ers before landing in the Pacific Northwest. What happened next was nothing short of historic.
Darnold played the best football of his career, commanding an offense that relied on a resurgent run game, a creative passing attack, and a defense that made timely plays. He went from fighting for a starting role to being the Super Bowl-winning quarterback with poise and production that silenced all critics.
Now, entering Phase Two, the context has shifted. He is no longer an unknown -- he is the established leader of a team that knows what it has under center. Photos from May 4 showed Darnold executing footwork drills and throwing in controlled situations, his mechanics sharp and his focus evident. There is no room for complacency. The championship was won, but the unforgiving NFL cycle demands the work be repeated.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba: The Next Wave
Perhaps the most exciting development for Seahawks fans -- beyond the championship duties themselves -- is watching Jaxon Smith-Njigba enter Phase Two riding the momentum of his breakout 2025 season. The third-year wide receiver emerged as a legitimate WR1 last year, his route-running precision and ability to separate from man coverage making him Darnold's most trusted target.
In the team's photo gallery, Smith-Njigba was seen participating in drills highlighting his trademark quickness and body control. For a receiving corps that also features veteran Cooper Kupp and the explosive Rashid Shaheed -- both of whom joined Seattle in the 2026 offseason via trade and free agency respectively -- the chemistry now being developed is essential.
Smith-Njigba and Kupp offer a fascinating contrast in styles. Smith-Njigba thrives on speed, sharp breaks, and yards after catch from the slot or outside. Kupp, a former Super Bowl MVP with the Los Angeles Rams, brings an advanced understanding of zone coverage and a physical presence in the intermediate game. Getting these two receivers on the same page with Darnold during Phase Two is a luxury the Seahawks lacked last year.
Shaheed provides a deep threat that stretches defenses vertically. When opponents respect Shaheed's ability to take the top off, the short and intermediate passing game becomes more hospitable for Smith-Njigba and Kupp.
The Supporting Cast on Display
While the photo gallery focused primarily on Darnold and Smith-Njigba, Phase Two's implications extend across the roster. The offensive line -- anchored by tackles Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas, along with interior linemen Christian Haynes and Grey Zabel -- is getting crucial on-field repetitions under the offensive coaching staff's watchful eyes. Last season saw inconsistencies from this unit, but their late-season and playoff ascendancy reflected growing cohesion that must continue.
On defense, Head Coach Mike Macdonald and Defensive Coordinator Aden Durde oversee a defense that was the backbone of Seattle's championship run. Stars like defensive tackle Leonard Williams, linebacker Ernest Jones IV, and cornerback Devon Witherspoon return, signaling continuity and strength. Phase Two permits defensive backs to hone coverage techniques without pads, while defensive linemen focus on hand placement and get-off fundamentals -- key details that provide dividends once pads hit in training camp.
Running back Zach Charbonnet, who assumed a lead role during the playoffs, was active at the facility. Depth in the backfield is robust with George Holani, Kenny McIntosh, and others, but Charbonnet's physical running style fits the identity Coach Macdonald and OC Brian Fleury want to cultivate.
Setting the Tone for a Title Defense
Winning a Super Bowl can tempt teams to relax, believing the formula is set. The Seahawks, however, appear to be doing the opposite. Voluntary attendance at Phase Two signals a culture fostered by Macdonald -- one where triumph breeds hunger, not complacency.
It's important to remember that NFL offseason programs are voluntary until Phase Three. Players can choose to skip. But when the franchise quarterback and top wideout are showing up early in May, it sends a clear message: this team intends to repeat.
The path to back-to-back championships is notoriously difficult. The last team to do so was the New England Patriots in the 2003 and 2004 seasons. Before them, it was the Denver Broncos in 1997-98. In today's salary cap era, sustaining championship-level performance requires skillful roster management, development of young talent, and adaptive coaching.
Seattle has those pieces in place. General Manager John Schneider has expertly managed the salary cap while retaining critical contributors and adding impact players like Cooper Kupp and Rashid Shaheed. The coaching staff, led by Head Coach Mike Macdonald and including OC Brian Fleury and DC Aden Durde, is young, innovative, and proven at the highest level.
Looking Ahead
Phase Two will continue for several weeks before the Seahawks transition into OTAs and mandatory minicamp later this month. Those sessions will feature more extensive drills and 7-on-7 work, still without contact. The true test will come in training camp, when pads are on and competition heats up for roster spots.
For now, May 4 marked a significant milestone. The Super Bowl champions are back on the field, working through fundamentals, building chemistry, and laying the groundwork for another championship run.
Photos from Virginia Mason Athletic Center reveal players smiling, focused, and in peak physical condition. It's a scene familiar to a team accustomed to success -- but the ultimate goal remains making it a recurring one.
Sam Darnold, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and the rest of the Seahawks have left the confetti behind. Phase Two is underway, and in Renton, the work never stops.