In addition to Lawrence’s encouragement, the other big factor in Fowler’s decision was the presence of Durde, he said.
“Really because of the defensive coordinator, Coach AD,” Fowler said of his decision to come to Seattle. “Me and him have a really great relationship going all the way back to when I was playing with the Falcons, and when we had a really great defense with the Cowboys. So just being able to come and play for him again as a defensive coordinator is really cool. I’ve been a fan of Mike Macdonald since he was the defensive coordinator at the Baltimore Ravens, so just to be able to be a part of this defense is really special.”
Fowler continued with his praise of Durde, saying, “He knows what he’s talking about, he’s a general, and he makes guys want to run through a wall for him. He knows what it takes, he knows how to push you to where you need to go, and he knows how to get the best out of his players.”
Fowler is also motivated by watching Lawrence’s success from afar.
“It was amazing, just to be able to play with him for the past couple of years,” Fowler said. “The legacy he left (in Dallas), when he left, it was a big thing, and to see him come here and see how great he played—he was very healthy, he took this defense to another level, and he won a Super Bowl, something that he has been talking about since I met him. So it was really cool to watch him in that position.”
Fowler has appeared in 159 games with 58 starts over 10 seasons—he missed his entire rookie year with a knee injury—and has appeared in all 17 games in each of the past four seasons. Fowler has totaled 58.5 sacks in his career, including 3.0 last year and 10.5 in 2024, as well as 294 total tackles, 74 tackles for loss, 97 quarterback hits, 15 forced fumbles and 23 passes defensed.
“I’m a pass-rusher, a guy that knows how to get to the quarterback, and that’s very seasoned; I’ve played this game for a very long time,” Fowler said, adding that signing with the Seahawks, “feels right, It’s really cool.”