Seahawks Super Bowl Watch: Frank Clark Record-Setter in Chiefs vs. Eagles?

Though there will only be a pair of former members of the Seattle Seahawks competing in Sunday's Super Bowl in Arizona, both will be key for the Kansas City Chiefs to hunt down Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts.

GLENDALE, Ariz. - While the Seattle Seahawks came well short of a surprise run to the Super Bowl, two of their former starters now playing for the Chiefs will have a chance to hoist the Lombardi Trophy on Sunday.

Serving as key cogs in Kansas City's tenacious pass rush, veteran edge defenders Frank Clark and Carlos Dunlap will be tasked with chasing down dual-threat Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts. The two ex-Seattle starters combined to produce 9.0 sacks, 25 quarterback hits, and 92 quarterback pressures, helping their current team reach the big game for the third time in four seasons.

And now? Clark has 13.5 career postseason sacks. Former New England star Willie McGinest holds the all-time NFL record with 16, so Clark needs just three more to claim the honor and 2.5 to share the top spot.

Formerly a second-round pick by the Seahawks out of Michigan in 2015, Clark began his career as a reserve behind standout defenders Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett, eventually vaulting into the starting lineup after Avril suffered a career-ending neck injury early in the 2017 season. Capitalizing on an increased workload, the Bakersfield, CA native emerged as a rising star over the next two seasons, amassing 22.0 sacks and 48 quarterback hits.

Seattle hoped to retain Clark, but negotiations on a long-term deal reached a stalemate and after the team placed the franchise tag on him, he was flipped to Kansas City for a 2019 first-round pick and a future second-round pick.

Since being acquired via trade four years ago, Clark has been an integral part of the Chiefs rise to dominance in the AFC and the Seahawks have struggled to replace his production, playing musical chairs with the likes of Jadeveon Clowney, Dunlap, and most recently Darrell Taylor and Uchenna Nwosu. Along with registering 23.5 sacks in four seasons with the franchise, he's been historically dominant in the playoffs, racking up 10.0 sacks in 11 postseason games since the trade, including 1.5 sacks on Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow in the AFC Championship Game.

Adding in Clark's trio of sacks in five playoff games in Seattle previously, he now ranks third all-time in NFL history with 13.5 sacks in playoff games. Making the decision to jettison him look even worse for his original employer, the Seahawks drafted L.J. Collier with the first-round pick acquired from the Chiefs and he produced a grand total of 3.0 sacks in four seasons, proving to be one of the biggest busts in franchise history.

With a win on Sunday, Clark would have two Super Bowl rings, more than the Seahawks have as a franchise.

As for Dunlap, after being waived by Seattle last spring as a cap casualty who no longer fit the team's scheme, the 33-year old defender has settled into an extensive rotational role in Kansas City. Though he only started two games in 2022, he still played 50 percent of the Chiefs' defensive snaps, racking up 36 tackles, 4.0 sacks, and an impressive eight swatted passes. Earlier in the season, he joined the exclusive 100-sack club, a remarkable accomplishment for the former Florida standout.

One of the great feel-good stories of this year's NFL playoffs, Dunlap finally won a playoff game in his 13th season after losing each of his first six opportunities with the Bengals and Seahawks. Two weeks ago, he became only the third player in league history to punch a ticket for the big game after starting his career with more than 150 games and no playoff victories on his resume.

Looking toward the future, Seattle will have Nwosu and Taylor along with 2022 second-round pick Boye Mafe back in the fold next season and with four picks in the first 52 selections in April's upcoming draft, the team will have a chance to further bolster its pass rush. But while the organization will be cheering on both players to win a ring on Sunday, it may be a bit bittersweet seeing the success they have found elsewhere given their own issues rushing quarterbacks.

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