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. Signed as an undrafted free agent in 2023, O’Connell has quickly made a name for himself in the NFL, showcasing his skills on the field and contributing to his team’s defense from his rookie season.
Early Life and Background
O’Connell was born on December 31, 1998, in Kalispell, Montana. He grew up focusing on playing baseball and attended Glacier High School, where he played football, basketball, and baseball. He served as the captain of the baseball team for three years and also captained the football and basketball teams during his senior year. O’Connell helped his teams reach five state championships during his time at Glacier, winning the state football title in 2014 and the basketball title in 2017. O’Connell was a first-team all-conference selection in baseball during his last two years and received second-team all-conference football honors as a junior and first-team as a senior. He was also named first-team all-state in football on both offense and defense in his senior year. As a linebacker and fullback, O’Connell was named the state football defensive most valuable player in 2016, recording 135 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, four sacks, and two interceptions. He played in the Montana East West Shrine All-Star Game and the Montana–North Dakota All-Star Game. He committed to play college football and college baseball for the Mary Marauders.
Path to American Football
O’Connell appeared in ten games for the Marauders football team in 2017, recording 33 tackles and 3.5 tackles-for-loss while also scoring a defensive touchdown. He left Mary, giving up his athletic scholarship and baseball career in 2018 to join the Montana Grizzlies football team as a walk-on. He redshirted his first season at Montana and was named the defensive scout team player of the year. O’Connell worked his way up the depth chart and became a starter for Montana at linebacker midway through the 2019 season. He had eight starts in 14 games for the 2019 Montana Grizzlies, recording 56 tackles, a team-leading 6.5 sacks, and 7.5 tackles-for-loss. O’Connell appeared in two games during the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season. As a junior in 2021, he broke out and became a top NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision player, recording 105 tackles, 22 tackles-for-loss, and 14 sacks. He was named first-team All-Big Sky Conference and first-team All-American, finishing third in voting for the Buck Buchanan Award, given to the best defensive player in the FCS. He returned for a final season in 2022 after being granted extra eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That year, he missed three games due to injury but still earned first-team All-Big Sky honors with a conference-leading eight sacks and 14 tackles-for-loss, along with 73 tackles. O’Connell concluded his collegiate career ranked fourth all-time in school history for tackles for loss and sixth in sacks, and he was invited to the Hula Bowl.
Patrick O’Connell Career
Early Career (2023)
After going unselected in the 2023 NFL Draft, O’Connell was signed by the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent. He was second on the team in preseason tackles with 17 but was released during the final roster cuts, subsequently 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 but was inactive for that game. O’Connell was signed to the team’s active roster on December 30, 2023, and made his NFL debut the following day, on his 25th birthday, recording a tackle. This was the only game he played that season.
Breakthrough (2024)
O’Connell was waived by the Seahawks on August 27, 2024, and re-signed to the practice squad. He was promoted to the active roster on November 27, 2024. On August 26, 2025, O’Connell was waived by the Seahawks as part of final roster cuts but re-signed to the practice squad the next day. He was promoted to the active roster on November 26, 2025.
Notable Works and Milestones
Patrick O’Connell has quickly established himself in the NFL, showcasing his potential as a linebacker for the Seattle Seahawks. His collegiate achievements include being named first-team All-Big Sky and All-American, and he has continued to build on that success in his professional career.
Patrick O’Connell Award Nominations
Throughout his career, Patrick O’Connell has received recognition for his performances, particularly during his time in college football.
Patrick O’Connell Awards Won
Patrick O’Connell has achieved several accolades during his college career, including first-team All-Big Sky Conference and first-team All-American honors.