Matt Calkins: Seahawks show their personalities before Super Bowl parade

Matt Calkins, The Seattle Times on Feb 11, 2026

Published in Football

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SEATTLE — The contrast between the Seahawks’ first Super Bowl-winning team and this one was as stark as a left tackle and a kicker.

Or at least we thought.

That Legion of Boom squad from 12 years ago was teeming with personalities as big as a 767. It had Richard Sherman and Marshawn Lynch and Michael Bennett. It had a defense dancing to the in-stadium music between snaps. It had perhaps the league’s most energetic coach in Pete Carroll and perhaps the most exciting quarterback in Russell Wilson.

Compare that with this one: understated, methodical, unflashy.

Again … at least we thought.

Wednesday was the parade that brought hundreds of thousands to the streets of Seattle to celebrate the Seahawks’ Super LX win over the Patriots. It was another display of the near unrivaled enthusiasm this town has for its sports champions.

But it wasn’t just a celebration — it was a revelation. These Seahawks aren’t so understated after all.

Before the players, coaches and execs jumped onto trucks that escorted them out to downtown Seattle, selected ones stepped onto the Lumen Field stage to give speeches to the crowd and, well, country.

Seahawks play-by-play man Steve Raible emceed the event, and gave general manager John Schneider the first crack at the mic. He was emotional, talking about the death of his father and many of the players’ personal losses — but also extremely grateful to every member of the organization and their fans. Then, there was Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald, who told the 12s that they’re the best fans in the world and that, now, his football team is the best in the world. Quarterback Sam Darnold followed and gave a short speech about belief … and then the real fun began.

There was AJ Barner, rocking a fur coat, a cowboy hat and thick shades (heard from the press box: “Is that outfit from ‘Boogie Nights?’ "). His message to the crowd: “I got a few things for y’all. First, we did not care! (a reference to Macdonald’s NFC championship postgame interview.) Second, we still don’t care! Third, the Super Bowl Hawks live here!”

There was defensive tackle Jarran Reed, who commanded the fans to “Give me two barks!” They obliged. “Yeah,” Reed said. “That’s the dog in you.”

There was NFL Offensive Player of the Year Jaxon Smith-Njigba leading a “Sea-Hawks!” chant before Macdonald yelled out “put some respect on that man’s name!” — a clear dig at comedian Druski butchering JSN’s name last week at the NFL Honors show. There was cornerback Devon Witherspoon keeping it short and sweet because, “I’m ready to start drinking — I don’t know what else to say.”

There was defensive lineman Leonard Williams, who gave an impassioned shout-out to the fans who embraced him, predicted a repeat championship and yelled, “I’m not (expletive) leaving!” And then, there was linebacker Ernest Jones IV.

Jones had the best year of his NFL career by far with Seattle this season, earning a second-team All-Pro nod as a result. But what he is best known for is supporting Darnold after a loss to the Rams, telling reporters that if anybody had anything to say about Sam, “quite frankly, (expletive) you.”

Well, on Wednesday, Jones donned a T-shirt depicting Darnold giving the middle finger. And when he got on stage, he once again offered those two famous words — extending the sentiment beyond his quarterback.

“If you got anything to say about my QB, if you got anything to say about my defense, if 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 … (expletive) you!”

The Lumen Field crowd erupted.

Look, give most anyone a few libations, throw in some championship euphoria, and you’re going to see a side of them you wouldn’t most the time. But even without the liquid assistance, these Seahawks are a long way from boring.

This year’s team was every bit as dominant — if not more — than the Super Bowl winners from 12 years ago. And though their personalities aren’t as legendary, they’re close to as colorful.

Seahawks fans have known this group was special for a while now. The rest of the country got an education on their supremacy over the past few weeks. And to paraphrase Williams — they aren’t leaving. There’s little reason to think they can’t contend for another title next season.

They have all the talent necessary to entertain with their play. They have the charisma to do the same when the pads come off.