SEATTLE — The “12s” flew in from Alaska, drove hours over the snowy mountain passes and camped overnight to take part in the celebration.
An estimated crowd of nearly one million Seahawks fans — affectionately known as the 12s — packed the streets of downtown Seattle to catch a glimpse of the Super Bowl LX championship parade on Wednesday.
The celebration began at a packed Lumen Field, where the doors opened at 8:30 a.m. PST for an event that was scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. General manager John Schneider, coach Mike Macdonald and several players addressed the sold-out stadium from a stage filled with adult beverages and beer kegs.
“This is why we do what we do. To bring people together,” Macdonald said. “That’s why football is the best sport in the world. Having a football team is just the best thing going, man. All these guys are from different backgrounds, different histories, different stories. All coming together towards a common goal.
“Shows you the power of ’12 as one.’ I just want to say we love the 12s. You guys are the best in the world. And now we’re the best football team in the world. World champs!”
An emotional Schneider paid tribute to his father, who passed away in October, along with the fathers and family members of several players who passed during the season. He closed by looking to the sky in tribute to late Seahawks owner Paul Allen and thanking Allen’s sister, Jody, for her leadership as team chair since her brother’s death in 2018.
“We had a lot of angels this year. With those angels, we know that Paul Allen has watched over us,” Schneider said. “To Paul Allen! And Jody, Paul would be so proud of you. The way you’ve led this organization, and allowed us to be where we are. To Jody Allen … let’s go!”
Linebacker Earnest Jones IV, who has been an outspoken supporter of oft-criticized quarterback Sam Darnold, issued a version of a speech he made to reporters after a Week 11 loss to the rival Los Angeles Rams.
Proclaimed Jones: “Quite frankly, if you got anything to say about my quarterback, you got anything to say about my defense, you got anything to say about our O-line, and you got anything to say about the city of Seattle. I got two words for you: F— you!”
About a half-hour late, the parade finally commenced through the streets of Seattle, where fans began lining up overnight. Others arrived in the wee hours of the morning, and barricades quickly filled up when they were put in place at 7 a.m.
By 10 a.m., the crowds along the 2-mile route were more than a 100 feet deep, with fans standing on street signs, hanging from trees and sitting on top of bus stops to catch a clear look.
Many of those in the crowd were too young to attend the franchise’s first Super Bowl title parade 12 years ago, while others weren’t even born yet.
“You had to be there to just know. Because it’s not the same then as it is now. But it’s fun being able to bring my son here now so he can experience it,” Seahawks fan Jade, who took her son Jeremiah out of school, told local television station Kiro 7. “Even though it might not be the same, it’s still fun. It wasn’t even an option really. ‘You’re going.’ Because if I went, you’re going.”
After the city struggled to handle the estimated crowd of 700,000 a dozen years ago, officials and law enforcement attempted to plan ahead this time. The Seattle police department posted the parade route on social media and closed streets Tuesday along with a plea to use public transportation.
Even schools in the surrounding suburbs had noticeably fewer students in attendance Wednesday morning. For the majority who weren’t able to attend Super Bowl LX in person at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., taking part in the victory parade was the next best thing.
The franchise’s first title parade saw 13,000 absences in Seattle public schools — nearly a quarter of the district’s entire enrollment. That year, the Sound Transit public-transportation system sold 71,000 one-way tickets while the Sounder commuter rail reported 38,000 customers.
“I mean, honestly, now I can say this without superstition, but how much in advance we were planning actually,” Seattle mayor Katie Wilson told Kiro 7. “I think a lot has been learned since the 2014 Super Bowl parade.
“There weren’t any kind of barriers and so there’s people spilling out into the street. It just seemed like a very dangerous situation, like people were surprised that no one died during that parade. I hope (Wednesday) goes off without a hitch and that we can accommodate a million people in downtown Seattle.
“I think it will be fine. And it’s just exciting to see everyone brought together around our team.”
–Derek Harper, Field Level Media
