The Seahawks have played in three Super Bowls — XL (2006), XLVIII (2014), and XLIX (2015) — and Seattle’s highlight reel includes a championship-level avalanche (XLVIII)… plus the most debated goal-line moment in modern NFL history (XLIX).
Here are the top Seahawks Super Bowl plays, with quick context on why each still matters.
1) The “12-second safety” that set the tone in Super Bowl XLVIII
Seattle’s win over Denver started with immediate chaos: a snap sailed into the end zone and the Seahawks scored a safety 12 seconds into the game, the quickest score to start a Super Bowl. It was a play that opened the flood gates and had future Hall of Famer quarterback Peyton Manning and the Broncos completely flustered.
12 seconds. That’s the kind of “first punch” you never forget, and it framed the entire night as “Broncos rattled, Seahawks in control.”
2) Percy Harvin’s 87-yard kickoff return TD to open the second half
If the first half was Seattle choking off the Broncos, the second-half opening kickoff was the knockout: Percy Harvin took it 87 yards for a touchdown, stretching the lead and turning it into a blowout.
That play is also a reminder of how complete the Seahawks were that year: defense, special teams, and efficient offense.
3) Malcolm Smith’s pick-six in XLVIII (and an unlikely MVP)
Seattle’s defense wasn’t just stopping Denver, it was scoring. Malcolm Smith’s interception return touchdown is one of the signature Seahawks Super Bowl plays, part of a night where he wound up as Super Bowl MVP.
Defensive TD + MVP from a linebacker in a game loaded with stars. It’s one of those “only the Super Bowl can do that” storylines.
4) Kelly Herndon’s 76-yard interception return in Super Bowl XL
Seattle didn’t win Super Bowl XL, but it did produce a massive swing play: Kelly Herndon intercepted Ben Roethlisberger and returned it 76 yards, setting up a Seahawks touchdown drive.
Even in a loss, that’s a “stadium flip” moment Seahawks fans remember.
5) Marshawn Lynch’s late TD run that put Seattle ahead (Super Bowl XLIX)
Before the goal-line interception, the Seahawks took the lead late on a Lynch TD run, the “Beast Mode” payoff that made the final sequence even more dramatic (because Seattle had already climbed back on top).
6) The Jermaine Kearse juggling catch that set up the goal-line finish (XLIX)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoFhPAxE8qk
In Super Bowl XLIX, Seattle got an unbelievable, pinball-style catch by Jermaine Kearse that pushed the Seahawks into first-and-goal range late.
It’s often overshadowed by what happened next, but as a pure “how did he catch that?” moment, it belongs on any list.
7) The goal-line sequence everyone re-litigates (XLIX)
The Seahawks were at the 1-yard line late and, on second-and-goal, threw a quick pass that was intercepted by Malcolm Butler, a play that has become an annual Super Bowl week talking point.
The debate isn’t just “run vs pass” — it’s timeouts, clock, and play-call sequencing. The stakes were a repeat championship, and the result rewired Seahawks lore.
Seahawks Super Bowl Plays Fans Still Talk About (for Better or Worse)