Patrick O’Connell Bio
Patrick O’Connell is an American professional football linebacker for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). Born on December 31, 1998, in Kalispell, Montana, he played college football for the Montana Grizzlies of the Big Sky Conference. Signed as an undrafted free agent in 2023, O’Connell has steadily worked his way onto the active roster and contributed on defense, including a Super Bowl championship with the Seahawks.
Standing 6 feet 1 inch tall and listed at around 231 pounds, O’Connell has carved out a role as a versatile linebacker known for his tackling and pass-rushing production. After beginning his college career at the University of Mary, he transferred to Montana, where he became one of the top defensive players in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).
Early Life and Background
Patrick O’Connell was born on December 31, 1998, in Kalispell, Montana, and grew up in the same northwestern Montana community. He attended Glacier High School, where he was a multi-sport standout in football, basketball, and baseball. He captained the baseball team for three years and captained both the football and basketball teams during his senior year, helping his teams reach five state championships across his high school tenure.
At Glacier, O’Connell was a first-team all-conference selection in baseball in his final two seasons and a one-time first-team all-state pick in the sport. In football, he earned second-team all-conference honors as a junior and first-team honors as a senior, in addition to being named first-team all-state on both offense and defense in his senior year. As a linebacker and fullback, he was named the state football defensive most valuable player in 2016, recording 135 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, four sacks, and two interceptions. He also participated in the Montana East West Shrine All-Star Game and the Montana–North Dakota All-Star Game.
Path to American Football
O’Connell committed to play both college football and college baseball at the University of Mary, where he suited up for the Marauders in 2017. He appeared in 10 games as a freshman, posting 33 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, and a defensive touchdown. After that single season, he made the decision to leave the Mary program and give up his athletic scholarship and his baseball career in order to join the Montana Grizzlies football team in 2018 as a walk-on.
After redshirting his first year at Montana, O’Connell earned the defensive scout team player of the year award and steadily climbed the depth chart. By midway through the 2019 season, he had become a starter at linebacker, finishing the year with eight starts in 14 games, 56 tackles, a team-leading 6.5 sacks, and 7.5 tackles for loss. His ascent from walk-on to full-time starter laid the foundation for a breakout junior season that put him on the national FCS map.
Patrick O’Connell Career
Early Career (2017–2020)
O’Connell’s early college career spanned two programs. At the University of Mary in 2017, he earned immediate playing time and flashed pass-rushing ability, recording 3.5 tackles for loss and a defensive touchdown in 10 games. His transition to Montana required patience, as he spent his first year with the Grizzlies as a redshirt learning the system and contributing on the scout team.
By 2019, O’Connell had earned a starting role, and the 2020 season, shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic, gave him only two games of action. Even in that limited sample, his development as an edge rusher and run defender was clear, setting the stage for a dominant junior campaign that would later earn him All-American recognition.
Montana Grizzlies Breakthrough (2021–2022)
O’Connell’s junior season in 2021 marked his arrival as one of the premier defensive players in the FCS. He recorded 105 tackles, 22 tackles for loss, and 14 sacks, earning first-team All-Big Sky Conference and first-team All-American honors. He finished third in voting for the Buck Buchanan Award, which recognizes the top defensive player in FCS football.
Returning for a fifth-year senior season in 2022, O’Connell missed three games due to injury but still produced at a high level. He was again a first-team All-Big Sky selection, leading the conference with eight sacks while adding 14 tackles for loss and 73 tackles. He closed his Montana career ranked fourth in school history in tackles for loss and sixth in sacks, and was invited to the Hula Bowl to cap his collegiate tenure.
Seattle Seahawks Era (2023–Present)
After going unselected in the 2023 NFL Draft, O’Connell signed with the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent. He finished second on the team in preseason tackles with 17 but was released at final roster cuts before being re-signed to the practice squad. He was elevated to the active roster for the team’s Week 14 game against the San Francisco 49ers, and on December 31, 2023, he made his NFL debut on his 25th birthday, recording a tackle in what would be his only appearance of the season.
In 2024, O’Connell was waived by the Seahawks on August 27 and re-signed to the practice squad before being promoted to the active roster on November 27. The 2025 season brought another trip through the practice squad after final roster cuts on August 26, followed by a return to the active roster on November 26. He played in Super Bowl LX, a 29–13 victory for the Seattle Seahawks over the New England Patriots, recording one tackle in the championship game.
Driving Style and Strengths
O’Connell is built like a classic between-the-tackles linebacker, with the frame and leverage to hold up against the run and the quickness to rush the passer off the edge. His college production, including double-digit sack seasons in 2021 and 2022, reflects an ability to win with leverage, hand technique, and a low pad level. At the NFL level, his tackling reliability and special teams value have helped him survive multiple rounds of roster cuts and rejoin the active roster in successive seasons.
Notable Events and Milestones
O’Connell’s most significant milestone to date is his role on the Super Bowl LX champion Seattle Seahawks, where he recorded a tackle in the 29–13 win over the New England Patriots. He also earned first-team All-American honors in 2021 and finished third in Buck Buchanan Award voting, capping his rise from undrafted free agent to NFL champion within three professional seasons.
Patrick O’Connell Career Wins
Patrick O’Connell’s career wins include a 2014 Montana state football championship at Glacier High School and a 2017 state basketball title, along with team success at the University of Montana. His most prominent professional victory is Super Bowl LX, in which the Seattle Seahawks defeated the New England Patriots 29–13.
Seattle Seahawks Highlights
With the Seattle Seahawks, O’Connell’s first and most celebrated win came in Super Bowl LX, where he played on the field and recorded one tackle in the 29–13 victory over the New England Patriots. He was part of a roster that survived multiple in-season practice squad stints, and his promotions to the active roster in 2023, 2024, and 2025 reflect the organization’s continued belief in his developmental trajectory.
Other Wins and Performances
In the FCS ranks, O’Connell helped anchor a Montana Grizzlies defense that was consistently among the best in the Big Sky Conference, even as team results varied. His individual accolades, including All-American honors and All-Big Sky first-team selections in 2021 and 2022, stand as the most visible markers of his on-field impact during the college phase of his career.
Patrick O’Connell Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public information on Patrick O’Connell’s parents and immediate family is limited. What is well documented is his own multi-sport upbringing in Kalispell, Montana, where he became one of the most decorated high school athletes in the region, leading his teams to five state championship appearances.
Personal Life
Patrick O’Connell was born and raised in Kalispell, Montana, and has remained connected to the region throughout his career. Beyond his standing as an NFL linebacker, he is known for a measured, team-first approach that carried him from undrafted free agent to Super Bowl champion in just a few seasons.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season saw Patrick O’Connell navigate another year on the Seattle Seahawks practice squad before being promoted to the active roster on November 26. He appeared in games down the stretch and played a role on the defense that helped the Seahawks reach and win Super Bowl LX against the New England Patriots. His one tackle in the championship added a tangible contribution to a defense that delivered one of the marquee performances of the postseason.
Looking back across 2025, O’Connell’s ability to bounce back from being waived at final roster cuts, just as he had in 2024, has become a defining pattern of his early professional career. The Seahawks’ investment in promoting him to the active roster in consecutive seasons speaks to trust in his development and his value on special teams and as a rotational linebacker.
As the Seahawks transition into the offseason following their Super Bowl title, O’Connell’s role within the linebacker room and on special teams will be a key storyline to watch. A full offseason in the team’s system, combined with his championship experience, positions him to compete for a larger defensive role heading into 2026.