The 'Legion of Boom' Era (2010-2014)
The Legion of Boom: A dominant defense that redefined NFL secondary play.
The Legion of Boom (LOB) was the Seattle Seahawks secondary in the 2010s. The original group that was nicknamed the Legion of Boom consisted of the starters in the Seahawks defensive backfield: Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas, Kam Chancellor, Brandon Browner, Walter Thurmond and Byron Maxwell. Over time, the nickname grew to encompass the Seahawks defense as a whole.
Lore & Background
The name 'Legion of Boom' was suggested by fans on Twitter during a radio show on August 2, 2012, and is a play on the Legion of Doom supervillain group from DC Comics. The unit's aggressive nature was notable in an era where the NFL had placed particular emphasis on player safety. Pete Carroll, with the help of defensive coordinators Gus Bradley and Dan Quinn and defensive backs coach Kris Richard, popularized the trend of Cover 3 defensive schemes during the LOB era.
The defensive schemes they ran were fairly simple and relied on the athleticism and talent of the members of the secondary. During pregame warmups the players would often chant 'Who's got my back? I got your back!' and 'We all we got, we all we need!' The team's dominant, physical defensive play and blowout victories, particularly during the 2012 and 2013 seasons, made the defense feared amongst the league.
Some point out that the Legion of Boom forced the NFL to change certain defensive rules and that it changed what other teams look for when scouting talent at defensive back positions.
Reader's Guide
The Legion of Boom era saw the Seahawks amass six consecutive winning seasons, three division titles, two NFC championships, and a Super Bowl victory. They made the playoffs in five consecutive seasons (winning at least one game each appearance) and finished with five consecutive 10+ win seasons. They also appeared in back-to-back Super Bowls, winning once to secure the franchise's first ever championship. During the 2012 to 2015 seasons, the Seahawks led the league in scoring defense, allowing the fewest points scored each year for four years straight.
The only other team to accomplish this feat were the Cleveland Browns of the 1950s. The 2013 defense led the league in fewest points allowed (231), fewest yards allowed (4,378), and most takeaways (39), the first team to lead all three categories since the 1985 Chicago Bears. The 2013 unit is widely regarded as one of the best single-season defenses of all time.
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