Legion of Boom vs. Dark Side: Which Seahawks defense reigns supreme?

Listen up Bellevue! This is a big controversy that needs to be discussed. Is the Seahawks defense this year better than their 2013 Super Bowl winning defense?  

“Nothing will ever be as good as the Legion of Boom. The Seahawks D this year is really good, but Richard Sherman was the goat, the greatest of all time,” senior Myles Dochtermann said.

In 2013, the Seahawks defense led their team to a Super Bowl win, earning the nickname “Legion of Boom.”  The LOB consisted of some of the greatest defensive players not just on the Seahawks but also in NFL history, including cornerback Sherman, free safety Earl Thomas, linebacker Bobby Wagner and strong safety Kam Chancellor. Three of the four were named to the Pro Bowl that season.

Now, with the 2025 Seahawks winning their division, getting the number one seed in the playoffs, winning the NFC Championship, and earning a trip to the Super Bowl, their defense is beginning to build its own legacy. The defense received the nickname “The Dark Side” because of a statement by linebacker DeMarcus Lawrence about wanting to turn the lights off every time the opposing offense was on their side of the field. The Hawks D is led by cornerback Devon Witherspoon, defensive lineman Leonard Williams and linebacker Ernest Jones IV. All three made the Pro Bowl team this year.

“No chance that this year’s defense beats the 2013 Legion of Boom. They were the greatest the Seahawks have ever been,” sophomore Cole Pelligrini said.

This is a fair comparison to make now on numbers but can’t be decided until the most legacy-defining game of them all: the Super Bowl. Both teams led the NFL in fewest points allowed and fewest yards allowed per game. The LOB enjoys a big advantage in interceptions with 28 to 18 over the Dark Side. With similar numbers of yards allowed per game, LOB also has the advantage with 273.6 yards, 12.3 better than the Dark Side’s 285.9 yards allowed. Not to mention, LOB allowed only 14 points per game, and the Dark Side not far behind with allowing 17.2 per game. So, for now, the LOB still has bragging rights.

“These are two totally different teams. I like them both personality wise, but from a football standpoint the LOB worked because of their back line of the defense, and 2025 works because of the people at the front. Also, the LOB was not made up of highly drafted players, while the team now has first round picks,” Seahawks sideline reporter Jen Muller said.

Both teams led and lead the league in defense, earning them both the NFC’s number one seed Both teams had and have good offenses to complement their outstanding defense. Both team’s coaches, Pete Carroll for the LOB and the current head coach, Mike Macdonald, are coaches known for being defensive guys.

With the Seahawks playing in the Super Bowl this weekend, this debate may finally be able to be settled. Go hawks!