Super Bowl LX Champ Ernest Jones IV: Seahawks ‘Dark Side’ Defense Is Just Getting Started

SEATTLE — The confetti from the Seahawks’ 29-13 win over New England in Super Bowl LX hasn’t even settled, but the front office is already retooling. Linebacker Ernest Jones IV joined Ian Rapoport on “The Insiders” this morning to break down the team’s aggressive start to the 2026 league year. While fans are still celebrating the franchise’s second title, Jones IV is already looking at the empty locker next to him after Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III signed a massive deal with the Kansas City Chiefs earlier this week.

Defending the Standard in 2026

The Seahawks didn’t wait for the parade echoes to fade before locking down the core of Mike Macdonald’s “Dark Side” defense. Jones IV, who is playing on a three-year, $28.5 million extension, remains the heartbeat of a unit that held the Patriots to just 13 points on the game’s biggest stage. General Manager John Schneider spent the last 48 hours ensuring Jones has his running mates for the 2026 campaign. The team officially re-signed linebacker Drake Thomas to a two-year, $8 million deal and secured cornerback Josh Jobe with a three-year, $24 million contract.

Losing Walker III is a blow to the offense, but the defensive identity remains the priority in Seattle. The 2025 season saw this unit evolve into a terrifying, pre-snap-disguise machine. Jones IV explained that the continuity with Thomas and Jobe allows the Seahawks to keep their complex pressure packages intact. Even with the chilly Pacific Northwest rain slicking the practice fields today, the energy at the facility feels like a team hungry for a repeat rather than one satisfied with a single ring.

“Losing K-9 hurts because that’s my brother, but this is the business. My job is to make sure whoever we put in that backfield doesn’t have to score 30 points to win. We call ourselves the ‘Dark Side’ for a reason. We suffocate you. Keeping Drake and Josh means the hits keep coming exactly the same way they did in Santa Clara.”
— Ernest Jones IV, Seattle Seahawks Linebacker

What’s Next for the Champs

With $301.2 million as the 2026 salary cap floor, Seattle still has room to maneuver. The addition of running back Emanuel Wilson on a fresh contract provides a physical presence to help mitigate the loss of Walker. However, the real focus remains on the draft. Seattle holds the 32nd overall pick, and league sources suggest Schneider is looking for a twitchy edge rusher to replace the departing Boye Mafe. Jones IV is already mentoring the younger guys, proving he is the vocal leader this franchise needs to navigate the 2026 title defense.