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Developments from around the division as the Seahawks and their three NFC West rivals enter the offseason.
Arizona Cardinals
What's New: The Cardinals committed seven turnovers in this past Sunday's 49-15 NFC Championship loss to the Carolina Panthers, including four interceptions and two lost fumbles from quarterback Carson Palmer, as Arizona's top-ranked offense struggled to get going on the road at Charlotte's Bank of America Stadium.
Why It Matters: The loss ends the Cardinals' 2015-16 season one game shy of Super Bowl 50, meaning that for the first time in four years a non-NFC West team will represent the conference on the NFL's biggest stage, with the San Francisco 49ers making the Super Bowl in 2012 and the Seahawks representing the NFC the last two years. The season-ending setback means Arizona owns the No. 29 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft.
What They're Saying: "We made that nice step to win the division and get up to that next level to the championship game. And next year, it's Super Bowl or bust." - Arizona head coach Bruce Arians
San Francisco 49ers
What's New: Jim Tomsula's time as head coach came to a close after one 5-11 season in the Bay Area, with the Niners naming former Philadelphia Eagles front-man Chip Kelly as the team's new head coach 11 days after Tomsula's departure.
Why It Matters: Kelly, who was relieved of his head-coaching duties in Philadelphia with one week to go in the 2015 regular season, had back-to-back 10-6 seasons with the Eagles before going 6-9 this past year. Seahawks fans and Pac-12 followers are likely more familiar with Kelly's work because of the four years he spent as head coach at the University of Oregon, where he compiled a 46-7 overall record utilizing a quick-strike, fast-paced offense.
What They're Saying: "It's an unbelievable standard. It's a huge challenge. The NFC West is stacked. But that excites you, if you're a competitor, you like that." - Kelly, on entering a division that has produced two playoff teams each of the past four seasons.
Los Angeles Rams:
What's New: If you missed the news that dropped earlier this month, the Rams will have a new home in 2016. After a 21-year run in St. Louis, NFL owners voted to endorse the club's relocation to Los Angeles, the city the Rams played in for 48 years prior to their move to the Midwest ahead of the 1995 season. The team has already secured more than 45,000 season-ticket deposits.
Why It Matters: Instead of traveling roughly 1,700 miles east for NFC West games against the Rams, the Seahawks will head roughly 950 miles south to meet their division rival in Southern California. That means Seattle can likely expect to play one less game at 10 a.m. PT, which is when the team's matchups were typically set when the Rams were based in St. Louis. Until a new stadium is built in Inglewood, Rams games will be played at L.A. Memorial Coliseum, the current home of the USC Trojans and where Pete Carroll coached from 2001-09 before taking the head-coaching job in Seattle.
What They're Saying: "It's nice. It's awesome. Don't have to fly to St. Louis every year, it's a win. That's a trip you take off, you stay all West Coast, you don't have the time change, you don't have the 10 o'clock games anymore. It's a win for us." - Compton, Calif. native Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman on the Rams move to L.A.
After traveling with the Seahawks all season, team photographer Rod Mar selected his favorite and most memorable photos from the 2015 season Eye on the Hawks photo essays.
De'Djuana
De'Djuana
Frankie
Frankie
Hailey
Hailey
Hannah
Hannah
Jessica B.
Jessica B.
Jessica S.
Jessica S.
Kali
Kali
Karley
Karley
Kelsey
Kelsey
Kiana
Kiana
Kristin
Kristin
Kylie
Kylie
Michaela
Michaela
Michelle
Michelle
Milena
Milena
Monica
Monica
Morgan
Morgan
Myriah
Myriah
Olivia
Olivia
Shayne
Shayne
Offensive linemen Garry Gilliam and Justin Britt lead the way down the narrow tunnel from the locker room to the field in Minneapolis prior to the game with the Vikings.
Stephanie
Stephanie
Zoe
Zoe
"Star Wars" mania gripped the country in December and defensive end Michael Bennett was not immune, donning a Darth Vader mask for pregame introductions prior to the contest against Cleveland in Week 15.
Cornerback Richard Sherman acknowledges the roar of the 12s as he's introduced before the Cleveland game.
CenturyLink Field was beautifully aglow in holiday lights after the Week 15 game just before Christmas.
Receiver Tyler Lockett found alone time in the locker room two hours before kickoff of the final regular season home game, a Week 16 contest against the Rams.
Russell Wilson applies eye black in the locker room before facing the St. Louis Rams in the final home game of the season.
Mike Morgan leads the Seahawks out of the tunnel with the 12 flag before the final regular season home game.
Water flies off of helmets and pads as Seattle's Brandon Mebane tackles St. Louis running back Todd Gurley during the Week 16 contest with the Rams.
Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson celebrates during the Week 17 game at Arizona, in which he set team records for touchdown passes in a season (34) and passing yards in a season (4,024).
Head coach Pete Carroll watches over the shoulder of safety Earl Thomas in the locker room as they listen to defensive coordinator Kris Richard give instructions.
After a dominant 36-6 win at Arizona to finish the regular season, Michael Bennett held up his "Black Santa" in the middle of the locker room.
Seattle returned to Minnesota for the wild-card round of the playoffs, and receiver Tyler Lockett displayed his leaping ability for his teammates during the Saturday afternoon walk-thru.
Temperatures were below zero for the wild-card game at Minnesota, but that didn't stop this fan from trying to take a selfie with Pete Carroll as the head coach made his way to the bus on Sunday morning.
Receiver Doug Baldwin, who had a breakout season, leapt high to make a stunning one-handed catch in sub-zero temperatures. His play sparked the Seahawks who came back from a 9-0 deficit.
Minnesota kicker Blair Walsh misses a potential game-winning field goal to the left and the Seahawks defeated the Vikings 10-9 to advance in the playoffs.
After the missed kick salvaged a win for the Seahawks, cornerback Richard Sherman fell to the frozen turf as he teammates celebrated the narrow 10-9 victory.
Exuberant head coach Pete Carroll celebrates with his team after escaping from Minnesota with a 10-9 victory to advance to the divisional round.
The Seahawks receiving corps poses for a video taken by Jermaine Kearse in the happy locker room after the win over Minnesota in the playoffs.
The weather was warmer in Carolina for the divisional playoff game against the Panthers and offensive linemen Russell Okung, Garry Gilliam and Justin Britt shared a laugh at the Saturday walk-thru.
On game day, head coach Pete Carroll made time during pregame to visit with seven-year old Ade Lewis of South Carolina, who, having been bullied about his Seahawks fandom at school, was invited by Carroll and the team to be guests for the divisional playoff game.
The Seahawks fell behind early but continued to play hard and nearly erased all of a 31-0 halftime deficit thanks to plays like this where Michael Bennett and Kam Chancellor hit Carolina running back Mike Tolbert so hard his helmet came off.
Seahawks receiver Kevin Smith stretches for more yardage after a catch in the playoff game against the Panthers.
Seahawks receiver Jermaine Kearse leaps high to score Seattle's first touchdown of the game, two minutes into the second half.
Seattle rallied furiously to cut the Panthers lead to 31-24 and needed to recover an onside kick to keep their playoff hopes alive. Carolina's Thomas Davis recovered the ball in front the Seahawks Derrick Coleman, effectively ending the game and the season for Seattle.
Head coach Pete Carroll addresses the Seahawks in the visitor's locker room after the season-ending loss to the Carolina Panthers in the divisional round of the playoffs.
Head coach Pete Carroll and his players and coaches gathered one last time as the season ended in Carolina.
Long after the last of his teammates had left the locker room, safety Earl Thomas sat at his locker, still clad in his uniform and pads.
Upon arrival back in Seattle, the Seahawks were greeted by throngs of 12s who showed their love and appreciation by lining roads between the airport and the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
