By David Gerhart
USA Wrestling

Several former wrestlers will showcase the skills they learned on and off the mat during Super Bowl LX on Sunday, February 8, 2026, in Santa Clara, Calif.

Seattle Seahawks

#9 Kenneth Walker III, Running Back

Before focusing solely on football at the start of high school, the native of Arlington, Tennessee, wrestled from fifth to eighth grade. Growing up with wrestling mats in his home, Walker capped off his youth wrestling career on top after winning a state title at 155 pounds in eighth grade.

The star running back for the Seahawks posted his second 1,000-yard rushing season in his fourth year in the NFL. In his senior campaign at Michigan State, Walker finished sixth in Heisman voting and was named the 2021 Walter Camp Player of the Year.

#95 Brandon Pili, Defensive Tackle

Growing up in Anchorage, Alaska, Pili notched a pair of top-five finishes at the Alaska High School State tournament. As a sophomore, he placed fifth at 285 pounds. Then, in his final year in Alaska, Pili placed second in the 4A state championship for Dimond High School.

In three seasons in the NFL, Pili has played in 25 games. This season in Seattle, he has played 13 games and notched 12 total tackles. As a freshman at Southern California, Pili garnered All-Pac-12 honorable mention accolades.

#39 Ty Okada, Safety

Okada was a two-time MSHSL State qualifier in Minnesota. He garnered All-State honors in 2015 following a sixth-place finish at 120 pounds. During his time at East Ridge High School, Okada also captained the wrestling team.

In 2025, Okada played in all 17 games for the Seahawks, compiling 64 tackles, 1.5 sacks and an interception. At Montana State, Okada was a two-time Second Team All-Big Sky selection.

#64 Christian Haynes, Guard

A multi-sport athlete at Bowie High School in Maryland, Haynes was a letterwinner in wrestling for the Bulldogs.

Haynes is in his second season with the Seahawks and has appeared in 24 games on Seattle’s offensive line. As a collegian, he played at Connecticut, starting in 50 of 51 contests, including 49 straight.

#88 AJ Barner, Tight End

Barner wrestled in the youth levels and joined the wrestling team at Aurora High School before shifting to football full-time.

As the starting tight end in Seattle, Barner finished the regular season with 519 receiving yards and six touchdown receptions. He was a semifinalist for the John Mackey Award and received All-Big 10 honorable mention recognition at Michigan.

#40 Robbie Ouzts, Fullback

Reportedly participated in high school wrestling at Rock Hill High School in South Carolina.

The rookie fullback was selected in the fifth round of the NFL Draft last spring and has appeared in 12 contests for Seattle. As a tight end at Alabama, he finished his senior season with eight receptions, two touchdowns and 108 receiving yards.

Note: USA Wrestling posts this article each year to celebrate the strong connection between wrestling and football. The idea is to celebrate all the wrestlers who have reached the Super Bowl each year. If we have missed somebody from either the New England Patriots or Seattle Seahawks who wrestled, please let us know. We will add them immediately. Please tell us where they wrestled (and any other data) and send an email to communications@usawrestling.org.