SAN FRANCISCO — Outside of wearing the same jerseys and representing the city of Seattle, Richard Sherman doesn’t see too many similarities between the current Seahawk defense and the Legion of Boom.

Sherman, the 2014 Super Bowl champion whose Seahawk tenure defined the Legion of Boom’s brash style, explained the two teams have stylistic and schematic differences. The Legion of Boom, Sherman noted, perhaps had more recognizable personalities.

That doesn’t mean, Sherman clarified, the Seahawks current defense — dubbed The Dark Side — is any less talented.

“Their numbers speak for themselves,” Sherman told Hard Rock Bet on Tuesday in an interview distributed to the media, “and I expect them to win this game. I expect them to be sound. Those guys are running and hitting.

The Dark Side enter the 2026 Super Bowl with a chance to bring Seattle its first title since Sherman and the Legion of Boom led a 43-8 demolition of the Denver Broncos and their record-breaking offense quarterbacked by Peyton Manning in the 2014 Super Bowl.

Like their Legion of Boom predecessors, The Dark Side defense entered the postseason as the NFL’s stingiest scoring defense. They’ve already beaten the league’s best regular-season offense during the NFC championship game, when the Seahawks defeated the division-rival Los Angeles Rams, 31-27. Their opponents in the 2026 Super Bowl, the New England Patriots, ranked second in scoring during the regular season.

Sherman said the biggest similarity The Dark Side has with the Legion of Boom has been depth along the defensive line. The former Seahawk cornerback called veteran defensive tackle Leonard Williams the team’s defensive tone setter, and added fellow interior lineman Byron Murphy II was worthy of All-Pro consideration after making 62 tackles and seven sacks during the regular season.

But Sherman saved his highest praises for veteran defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence. The longtime Dallas Cowboys standout signed with the Seahawks in free agency before the season, and Sherman said Lawrence has been one of the defense’s most impactful players in 2025.

He cited Lawrence’s forced fumble against quarterback Brock Purdy during the fourth quarter of the Seahawks’ 41-6 victory against the San Francisco 49ers in the divisional round as an example of Lawrence’s high work rate leading directly to turnovers.

“DeMarcus Lawrence is the engine,” Sherman said. “He plays with relentless effort and plays like every single play is the Super Bowl.”

Sherman also complimented the play of the Seahawks secondary. He said rookie safety Nick Emmanwori is a future Defensive Player of the Year candidate, and praised the former South Carolina standout’s leadership after seeing him hold fourth-year cornerback Riq Woolen responsible for a costly taunting penalty during the NFC championship game against the Rams.

“The situation with him and Woolen on the sideline looked like conflict,” Sherman said, “but that’s accountability. For a young guy to go up to a veteran like that, it shows you a lot about the hierarchy around that team. Even though he was frustrated at that moment, I think Riq had a lot of respect for that. I don’t think there was any maliciousness either way. It was respect."

Sherman said he’s encouraged by The Dark Side’s leadership-by-committee approach, too. He noted Williams, Lawrence, third-year cornerback Devon Witherspoon and veteran safety Julian Love have all played important leadership roles for the Seahawks in 2025, along with linebacker Ernest Jones IV.

The five-time Pro Bowler is also excited by The Dark Side’s secondary. Woolen has enjoyed a strong second half of the season, Sherman said, and rebounded well from the taunting penalty versus the Rams. Sherman added Love and Witherspoon have played at the high level expected of them, but was perhaps most impressed by Coby Bryant, the fourth-year safety whose four interceptions during the regular season ranked second on the team.

“He’s found his niche at safety after being moved from corner,” Sherman said. “He got a little banged up, but now he’s back in the lineup and he stabilizes that defense."

The Dark Side has a chance to earn some vengeance for Sherman, too. A year after winning 2014 Super Bowl, the three-time first-team All-Pro cornerback was part of the Seahawk team that lost to the Patriots in heartbreaking fashion during 2015 Super Bowl after Malcolm Butler’s goal-line interception.

Sherman, who predicted a 24-10 win for the Seahawks led by the Dark Side for Sunday’s game, said a win in the 2026 Super Bowl can finally put the nightmares of 2015 Super Bowl to sleep.

“All the elements are there for them to exorcise these demons, so we can move forward,” he said. “I need it in my life.

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