Page 14 - South Mississippi Living - April, 2026

COAST NOTE
Derick Hall Proves Super Bowl Dreams Can Rise From Mississippi Soil
story by Cherie Ward photo by Thearon W. Henderson
From Gulfport to Glory
On a February night in Santa Clara, confetti fell, cameras flashed, and a kid from Gulfport stood on football’s biggest stage as a champion.
Derick Hall, a Gulfport native and proud Gulfport High School alumnus, helped power the Seattle Seahawks to a 29-13
victory in Super Bowl LX on February 8, 2026. For South Mississippians
who have followed his journey from Friday night lights to the
NFL spotlight, it felt personal. One of our own had reached the
mountaintop.
Long before the roar of a Super
Bowl crowd, Hall was a kid in Gulfport chasing quarterbacks and big
dreams. At Gulfport High, he built a reputation for relentless effort and a
motor that didn’t quit. Former coaches reminisce about his
measurables. Former teammates
pads popping, play after play. Linebackers don’t always get the headlines, but they set the tone. They read, react and—when it matters most—they close.
In a championship game defined by defensive grit and timely plays, the Seahawks delivered exactly that. While the box score will tell its own story, championships are built on depth, preparation, and players willing
to do the hard, often unseen work. Hall has made a career out of that kind of work.
For young athletes across the Mississippi Gulf Coast, his Super Bowl ring represents more than a title. It’s proof that small-town roots can grow into something national. It’s a reminder that the same fields and weight rooms they train in can be the starting point for something extraordinary.
Back home, there’s a certain pride that comes when you see “Gulfport” attached to a national broadcast. It’s the pride of teachers who watched him mature, coaches who
Derick Hall
talk about his heart. Hall brought both—and then some.
That work ethic carried him through college and into the pros, where nothing
is handed to you and every roster spot is earned. In Seattle, Hall carved out his role the same way he always has—head down,
pushed him, family members who believed in him, and a community that cheers a little louder when one of its own takes the field.
Derick Hall may play in Seattle now, but his origin story belongs to Gulfport, and his home will always be South Mississippi.
14 | April 2026 www.smliving.net | SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living