From 1% chance of survival to Super Bowl winner

Derick Hall doesn’t just feel blessed to be a Super Bowl champion. He feels blessed to be alive after being born with a 1% chance of survival.

The Seattle linebacker played a key role as the Seahawks beat the New England Patriots 29-13 in Sunday’s NFL title decider, claiming two sacks in a dominant defensive display.

But it is a wonder the 24-year-old is even here at all after being born four months premature in 2001.

Hall weighed less than 3lb and was on life support when his mother refused to have it discontinued.

Now 6ft 3in and 254lb, he hugged his mother on the field in Santa Clara, California, after Seattle’s second Super Bowl win.

“Everyone knows my story, what it took for me to get here, what it took for me just to be alive and have the chance,” said Hall.

“I’m very blessed – kudos to Mom. That was a special moment after the game. I feel like she’s an unsung hero, an unsung warrior through this whole process. She always fought for me. She never gave up.

“Just being able to play football and what this game has done for me and my life and my family…

After a difficult start to his NFL career, it seemed Seattle quarterback Sam Darnold was destined to become a journeyman back-up.

But after leading the Minnesota Vikings to last season’s play-offs, the Seahawks became his fifth team in eight years – and third in three – and they have won American sport’s biggest prize in his first season in Seattle.

“My team-mates and my coaches, they believed in me since the first training camp, every single day we came to work,” said 28-year-old Darnold.

“I shared a great moment with my parents and fiancee Katie after the game and I think that’s what kind of got me a little bit. I told my dad and my mom, I’m here because of their belief in me.

“Some people called me crazy throughout my career for believing in myself so much, but it was because of my parents. It allowed me to go out there and play free and have a ton of confidence.

“On offence, I feel like we didn’t play as good as we could have. I certainly didn’t, but our defence and special teams had our back.”

Seattle also signed Cooper Kupp in the off-season and he claimed his second Super Bowl win, having been the Most Valuable Player (MVP) when the Los Angeles Rams became NFL champions in 2022.

“My wife was the first person to believe in me,” said the wide receiver. “She’s believed that this story was written so long ago.

“I would like to say I was all in and believed it as well, but there were some tough times. Anna has believed that this is what we came to Seattle to do.

“It’s an unbelievable story. To be in this place, it’s hallowed ground.”

Seattle defensive coordinator Aden Durde became the first overseas coach to win a Super Bowl, after beginning his coaching journey in the British amateur game.

The 46-year-old said he felt the Seahawks were going to win “from down one”, adding: “We put a plan together and the guys executed at an elite level.

“I’m very grateful. A lot of people sacrificed a lot for me to be sitting here, but you don’t see that.