SEATTLE — They emerged from the Lumen Field locker room, Super Bowl victors, walking, stumbling — certainly not running like on game days — many with choice of beverage in hand.
Rookie left guard Grey Zabel carried two cans of Busch Light in his massive right hand. Linebacker Ernest Jones IV sipped a red Solo cup as a party relocated to a stage in the Hawk’s Nest side of Lumen Field.
Wednesday’s celebration was as “lit” as cornerback Riq Woolen had promised, as were many of the Super Bowl-champion Seattle Seahawks.
Tight end AJ Barner, in his fur coat, accessed the tap on a keg of Bud Light on the stage when his cans were emptied as head coach Mike Macdonald carried the Super Bowl Lombardi Trophy along the sideline he ruled during the 2025-206 season.
They spoke to the fans in the stadium — the best they could under the circumstances — before departing on US Army Tactical cargo vehicles, many of them of Stewart & Stevenson M1078 or M1083 varieties, and heading into the streets of Seattle to be greeted by hundreds of thousands of fans.
It was a day for the region to celebrate the franchise’s second championship, won Sunday at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, with a 29-13 thumping of the New England Patriots.
Seahawks general manager John Schneider, who rarely speaks publicly, talked about angels watching over the team this season. Scheider’s father died during the season, and the fathers of players Ernest Jones IV, Drew Lock, Charles Cross and Jake Bobo were also lost in recent months. Schneider, emotional, fulfilled, and with slurred speech, referenced former owner Paul Allen, who died in 2018, while addressing owner Jody Allen, who inherited the team from a man who once saved the franchise from an owner set on moving the team out of the Pacific Northwest.
“Jody — Paul would be so proud of you, the way you’ve led this organization, it allowed us to be where we are,” Schneider said.
He thanked Macdonald and all the staff at the Renton’s Virginia Mason Athletic Center, where the organization is headquartered, and then the players.
“This league is all about the players — everybody knows that,” Schneider said. “We couldn’t be more proud of the players, all the work you guys put into building relationships, all the shadowboxing, all the s- – – I don’t even know about. You guys are the heart and soul of what’s going on.”
Seahawks long-time radio play-by-play man Steve Raible, a former Seahawks receiver, served as the event’s M.C. and told the packed stadium that Macdonald should have been the coach of the year.
“I think I’ll take this trophy instead,” said Macdonald, holding the Lombardi Trophy up toward the stands as the crowd roared.
“All these guys with different backgrounds, different histories, different stories all coming together towards a common goal,” he said. “Shows 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 champions.”
Defensive tackle Leonard Williams, the godfather of the Darkside defense, thanked the fans for embracing him. Williams started his career with some struggling New York Jets and Giants teams — and two mediocre Seahawks seasons — before becoming a champion.
“I know I didn’t get drafted here, I know I didn’t start my career here,” Williams said. “But I just knew as soon as I got here that this place is special.”
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year, spoke, as did one-time Super Bowl MVP Cooper Kupp, who returned to his home state this season to help the Seahawks win a title. Sam Darnold, fresh off a trip to Disneyland with Super Bowl MPV Kenneth Walker III, also addressed the stadium.
Jones began his speech by mentioning that he was the last person who should have been given possession of the mic.
Traded away from the Los Angeles Rams after helping them win a Super Bowl in 2021 and then acquired by Seattle from the Tennessee Titans in the middle of the 2024 season, Jones thanked Jody Allen, Schneider, Macdonald and some bad-a – – motherf – – – – – s on the defense.”
The fans in the stands reached a volume level of a third-down play during the season as Jones continued.
“Not only do we have the best defense in the world, we got the best team in the world,” he shouted. “And quite frankly, if you got anything to say about my quarterback, if you got anything to say about my defense, if you got anything to say about the o-line, if you got anything to say about the city of Seattle, I got two words for you.
“F – – – you.”
As the 12s howled, clapped and whistled, the Seahawks boarded the cargo trucks, which slowly departed Lumen Field carrying champions to their victory parade.
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