Derick Hall had to battle just to live — and he’s now forever in Seahawks lore after epic Super Bowl 2026

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Derick Hall lifted the Lombardi Trophy not knowing that it weighed more than twice as much as he did when he was born. 

The 24-year-old Seahawks linebacker — born premature at 23 weeks, weighing 2 pounds, 9 ounces, and given a 1 percent chance to survive — reached a new peak in a most remarkable journey Sunday when he tallied two sacks and created the knockout punch takeaway in a 29-13 victory against the Patriots in Super Bowl 2026.

“What it took for me to get here, what it took for me just to be alive and have a chance, all glory to God,” Hall said after an emotional hug with his crying mother, Stacy Gooden-Crandle.

“Kudos to Mom. She’s the unsung warrior of this whole process. She always fought for me.”

If there was a poster boy for “The Dark Side’s” dominant defensive performance, it was Hall. Though he had plenty of help from Devon Witherspoon, Byron Murphy, Ernest Jones IV, Uchenna Nwosu and others.

“This is what every kid dreams about, but I started playing the game just to get my lung capacity up,” said Hall, who signed up for football at 4 years old. “And just maybe run around a little bit. I fell in love with the game. It allowed me to be a normal kid. I would always sit and watch other kids running around outside and I wasn’t about to do those things. That’s what led to my love and this moment.”