Seattle Seahawks star Derick Hall played a pivotal role in the team's Super Bowl victory in February, yet his journey to the NFL was nothing short of miraculous. Born in 2001 weighing just 1.5 pounds, Hall was given a mere one percent chance of survival after being delivered four months prematurely.
A Miraculous Beginning
Hall's mother, Stacy Gooden-Crandle, shared the harrowing details of his birth in an interview with People. At just 28 weeks pregnant, her water broke, and she was rushed to a hospital in Gulfport, Mississippi. Doctors prepared her for the worst, suggesting that Hall might never lead a normal life.
“He was not staying in that room. He wanted to come out. But the doctors were definitely preparing me for the 'what ifs,'” Gooden-Crandle recalled. Medical professionals believed Hall would likely remain in a permanent vegetative state and advised discontinuing life support. However, she refused.
Hall survived five months in intensive care, followed by frequent hospitalizations and severe asthma throughout his childhood. “He was born dead. He had to be resuscitated, put on life support, and he stayed on life support for a while,” she added. “It was really touch-and-go for a long time. They said he only had a one percent chance at survival for the first two weeks.”
Despite the odds, Gooden-Crandle's faith never wavered. “I was nervous, but I'm a faith-based woman, and I felt like if God brought me to it, he could bring me through it. We celebrated when he got off life support. We celebrated when they took out the feeding tube. We celebrated every single victory. He just had this innate ability to fight.”
From Flag Football to NFL Stardom
Hall began playing flag football at age four, initially to improve his lung capacity. “I started playing the game just to be able to get my lung capacity up. Just to be able to run around a little bit,” Hall said. “I fell in love with the game. It allowed me to be a normal kid.”
After a standout career at Gulfport High School, he became a star defensive end at Auburn University. The Seahawks selected him in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft, and he quickly established himself as a key component of Seattle's defense.
Super Bowl Glory
Less than three years after being drafted, Hall was instrumental in the Seahawks' Super Bowl triumph over the New England Patriots in February. With Seattle leading 12-0 in the third quarter, Hall sacked Patriots quarterback Drake Maye and forced a fumble, which was recovered by Byron Murphy II. This turnover set up Seattle's first touchdown, a 16-yard catch by A.J. Barner, paving the way for a 29-13 victory.
Hall finished the Super Bowl with two sacks, matching his entire regular-season total. After the game, Gooden-Crandle tapped her son on the shoulder for a hug, and both broke down in tears of joy.
“Mom doesn't miss a game,” Hall said. “From the time I started playing football at 4 to tonight, my mom has been at every single game.”
