The Seattle Seahawks are back in the Super Bowl, and there are a lot of folks who deserve credit for the work they have done with the team in recent years. Atop that list is general manager John Schneider, who has managed to rebuild his team on the fly to help lead them back to the big game for the first time in over a decade.
Schneider is widely regarded as one of the best general managers in the NFL, and his relentless work ethic is a big reason for his success. Case in point, Seattle managed to come to terms on a big-money contract extension with star left tackle Charles Cross earlier this month, and when discussing that deal, Schneider knows just how important a move it was for his team.
John Schneider Dishes on Charles Cross Contract Extension
The Seahawks selected Cross with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, and he has immediately turned himself into one of the premier left tackles in the league. One of the best reasons for Seattle’s success in 2025 has been its ability to keep quarterback Sam Darnold standing upright in the pocket, and Cross is perhaps the best offensive lineman the team has at its disposal.
While Cross still had one year left on his rookie contract, one of the biggest things the Seahawks’ front office was going to have to do this offseason was find a way to sign him to a long-term contract extension. Premier left tackles are hard to come by in the NFL, making Cross one of the most important long-term pieces of Seattle’s future.
Instead of pushing this off until the offseason, though, Schneider decided to get ahead of the curve and extend Cross to a five-year, $104.4 million contract extension earlier in January. Locking up Cross is a huge win for the Seahawks, and when discussing the contract, Schneider knows just how important it was to get that deal across the finish line.
“Huge,” Schneider simply said when asked how important it was to get extend Cross. “We have a lot of work to do coming up … We were able to work it out … It probably went on for like four-to-five weeks.”
Charles Cross Hoping to Help Lead Seahawks to Victory in Super Bowl LX
GettySeattle Seahawks QB Sam Darnold and LT Charles Cross
Even as Cross has been battling a foot injury throughout the playoffs, he has managed to stay on the field and help out the Seahawks’ offense. With New England’s defense playing its best football of the year in the postseason, that’s going to make Cross and his health status all the more important as the Super Bowl draws near.
The good news for Seattle, regardless of what happens in the Super Bowl, is that it won’t have to worry about hammering out a contract extension with Cross this offseason. And while his contract is a big win for the Seahawks, all that matters right now is winning a championship. Kickoff for Super Bowl LX is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, Feb. 8.
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