ESPN has named the Seahawks defender the best at his position. On the morning of April 17, a power outage shut down Sound Transit light rail, paralyzing service across several lines.
Leonard Williams of the Seattle Seahawks named the NFL’s top defensive tackle by ESPN
In American football, it’s rare to find a player whose greatness has long stayed in the shadows—until now, when it finally receives the recognition it deserves. The player in question is Leonard Williams, a 32-year-old defensive tackle for the Seattle Seahawks, whom ESPN, a respected publication, has ranked No. 1 among all NFL defensive tackles (defensive players positioned on the line of scrimmage) across every team.
The ranking is based on surveys of team executives, coaches, and league scouts, giving it particular weight. Williams edged out stars such as Jeffery Simmons of the Tennessee Titans (second), Jalen Carter of the Philadelphia Eagles (third), Chris Jones of the Kansas City Chiefs (fourth), and Derrick Brown of the Carolina Panthers (fifth). Notably, not long ago Leonard was spoken about as an underrated player—but now his impact on the Seahawks’ Super Bowl win is recognized as crucial.
“He was the most important player on that Super Bowl-winning team,” ESPN quotes one of the NFL’s defensive coordinators. And this isn’t just praise. At 6'5" and 141 kg, Williams shows a versatility even opponents notice. “You can line him up against the right tackle, right guard, center, left guard, left tackle—he’ll beat anyone,” says a veteran defensive coach from the National Football Conference. “He’s always had the ability to change the flow of a game, and right now he’s fully revealed it. And because of him, the teammates play better too.”
The numbers back up the experts’ claims. In 2024, already in the system of defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, Williams recorded 11 sacks (quarterback takedowns) and 16 tackles for losses behind the line of scrimmage—both the best marks among all defensive tackles in the league. He also added an interception he turned into a 92-yard touchdown (pick-six) and knocked down three passes. Still, despite his start, he was initially left out of the Pro Bowl (the all-star game) and made it only as a replacement. In 2025, Leonard kept dominating: 7 sacks and 9 tackles for losses in the regular season, then became one of the main forces on Seattle’s defense—which was the best in the league for points allowed that year and helped the team win the Super Bowl. He earned a full Pro Bowl invitation and was named to the second All-Pro team. Over the past two seasons combined, Williams has 18 sacks—more than any other player at his position.
ESPN’s ranking also mentions another Seahawks player: Byron Murphy II, who received an honorable mention after finishing outside the top ten. Drafted in the first round of 2024, Murphy posted 7 sacks last season (the third-highest total among defensive tackles). “He’s very explosive,” the coach notes. “Teams double him, but he still breaks through.” In that way, Seattle’s defensive line looks like one of the strongest in the league.
For those unfamiliar with the terminology: a pick-six is an interception return by a defensive player all the way into the opponent’s end zone, earning the defender’s team six points. A sack is a quarterback takedown behind the line of scrimmage. A tackle for loss (TFL) is a play in which a defender stops a running opponent before they cross the line of scrimmage. All-Pro and Pro Bowl are the league’s annual awards and all-star game that honor the best players. In an article on Seattle Sports, it’s noted that recognition for Williams finally matches his real on-field impact—and that could provide extra motivation for the Seahawks in the new season, where they’ll be expected to repeat their success.
Seattle light rail service disruption: power outage paralyzes transit
On Tuesday morning, Seattle residents faced serious problems getting around: Sound Transit light rail service was suspended on key segments due to power supply issues. A malfunction detected at about 6:45 a.m. led to trains on Lines 1 and 2 being stopped between the Northgate and Capitol Hill stations, and it also affected Stadium and Judkins Park stations.
Sound Transit representatives said the failure was not related to copper wire theft—an important point, since similar incidents have become more frequent in the region’s transportation system in recent times.
Passengers were advised to use alternate routes, primarily buses running between Northgate and Westlake. However, even this temporary solution creates inconvenience: bus lines can’t carry the same volume of riders as the electrified trains they’re used to. According to MyNorthwest.com, restoring service could take an unspecified amount of time—updates will be provided as information comes in. For now, thousands of residents across Seattle’s north and south areas are forced to find detours on their own.
For those unfamiliar with how the transit network works: Seattle’s light rail is a key element of city mobility, connecting downtown with the suburbs. Lines 1 and 2 form the main artery running through business districts. Many passengers chose to switch from personal cars to trains specifically to avoid traffic and reduce their carbon footprint. Now they’re stuck: shuttle buses run with gaps, while taxis or car-sharing can be expensive. It’s also notable that the outage happened during rush hour, which points to chronic problems with aging infrastructure. Experts have previously warned that the Sound Transit network needs modernization, especially after a string of copper-wire thefts that caused similar disruptions. This time, authorities say vandalism isn’t to blame, but clarity about the cause and repair timeline is still lacking.
It remains unknown how long it will take to restore power. Utility crews are already working on site, but Sound Transit is only asking riders to watch for updates on the agency’s official accounts. The situation is another worrying signal for residents: the reliability of “green” transit is now in question, and city officials have to scramble to patch the gaps.
Sound Transit light rail service suspended in Seattle
In Seattle, on the morning of April 17, 2026, Sound Transit light rail service was suspended on the segment between Northgate and Judkins Park stations, including the Stadium stop. The cause was an electrical power issue discovered shortly after 6:45 a.m. The problem led to delays and a complete stop for both the 1 and 2 lines. In an official statement, Sound Transit emphasized that the incident was not related to copper wire theft, which has become a frequent problem for the city’s transportation infrastructure in recent years.
Passengers were advised to use alternate routes: buses were deployed to compensate for the disruption, running between Northgate and Westlake. The exact time service will resume has not yet been announced—the situation is still developing, and Sound Transit says it will update information as more details come in. As reported by KIRO 7, riders seeking up-to-date information on detours should check the transit agency’s official website.
This sudden shutdown affected thousands of passengers who use light rail daily to commute between Seattle’s northern neighborhoods and downtown. The power problem could have been caused either by a technical malfunction at a substation or by damage to the overhead contact network, but the official details have not yet been released. Notably, Sound Transit specifically denied the copper cable theft theory—indicating that such incidents really have been happening recently, and officials are trying to avoid incorrect interpretations. The impact on the morning rush hour will be significant: bus routes may become overloaded, and travel times could rise sharply. Residents are advised to plan trips with extra buffer time or consider other transportation options such as bikes or car-sharing.
