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Brady Henderson
SEATTLE — The Seattle Seahawks’ headquarters auditorium transformed significantly this past offseason. The walls flanking the seating area now feature large images of the stands at Lumen Field, creating an atmosphere during team meetings that mimics being inside the stadium.
This aesthetic upgrade aligns perfectly with the organization’s goal of reviving its waning home success, highlighted by former cornerback Richard Sherman’s address to his old team during training camp, focusing on this very aspiration.
During his time with the Seahawks (2011-2017), Sherman experienced the franchise’s peak years, when they benefited from one of the NFL’s most formidable home-field advantages. However, this edge has notably diminished over the recent seasons, and Sherman’s presence aimed to rekindle that spirit.
The Seahawks of the Sherman era, especially their famed Legion of Boom defense, thrived off the electrifying energy from the enthusiastic home crowd within the 69,000-seat stadium — and in return, the 12s excelled at elevating the team’s performance.
Yet, Sherman’s emphasis on this occasion was clear: players must be the catalyst for fan engagement, necessitating their performance to ignite the crowd.
«Create impactful plays to engage the audience,» urged defensive tackle Jarran Reed, who previously shared the field with Sherman during the pinnacle of the Seahawks’ defense in the early2010s. «We need to leverage our home-field advantage for our gain.»
«The fans won’t just show up and cheer blindly. You must earn their support,» general manager John Schneider echoed on his Seattle Sports 710-AM radio segment, recalling Sherman’s insights ahead of the Seahawks’ season opener against the San Francisco 49ers on September 7.
Schneider also noted that during their pre-game highlight reel, head coach Mike Macdonald carefully selected clips surpassing the Seahawks’ memorable victories at Lumen Field, stressing how pivotal it is to transform their stadium into a challenging venue for adversaries.
Observing a slew of 49ers supporters entering the stadium an hour before kickoff, Schneider expressed his dismay. «It’s quite frustrating to spot these San Fran jerseys filling the stands. We’re done with that,» he remarked.
That day, an estimated 7,000 49ers fans celebrated as their squad clinched a 17-13 victory.
With the Houston Texans (2-3) preparing to face off at Lumen Field at 10:15 p.m. ET (ESPN), the Seahawks have struggled at home with a 4-8 mark since Macdonald took over as coach last season, which includes a commanding victory against the New Orleans Saints on September 21 and a close loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on October 5.
A trend that began during Pete Carroll’s final three seasons has worsened under Macdonald, a hard reality to reconcile, especially since Macdonald’s Seahawks have exhibited formidable performances away, boasting an NFL-best 10-1 record on the road since the 2024 season commenced.
This discrepancy raises pressing questions: Have rival fans contributed to Seattle’s erosion of home-field advantage, or has that diminishment affected the home crowd’s engagement? Is the Seahawks’ need for clear pre-snap communication playing a role? And what impact has their schedule had?
One certainty is the organization’s commitment to addressing the situation.
«Improving our home performance is critical,» Macdonald stated. «It’s been a significant focus since my hiring, though we haven’t realized that ambition yet. We’re resolved to make it happen.»
During a home triumph, the New York Giants recorded 11 false start penalties, setting an NFL record that remains unbroken today.
The subsequent day, then-coach Mike Holmgren honored the Seahawks fans with a game ball, acknowledging their overwhelming noise as a formidable advantage that disrupted the visiting team’s ability to hear their own snap calls.
Later in that same season’s NFC Championship Game, the raucous atmosphere proved daunting for quarterback Jake Delhomme and the Carolina Panthers, facilitating Seattle’s advance to Super Bowl XL with a 34-14 victory.
«We were unable to call a play in the huddle,» Delhomme reminisced years later. «It ranked as the most chaotic venue I’ve ever encountered.»
Since 1984, the Seahawks have retired the No. 12 jersey in honor of the remarkable impact their supporters — once dubbed the 12th Man, now referred to as the 12s — exerted on games during their tenure at the Kingdome. This influence continued in their modern venue, which opened in 2002 as Seahawks Stadium, later rebranded as Qwest Field, CenturyLink Field, and Lumen Field.
At one point, the venue set a record for the loudest outdoor stadium when fans reached 137.6 decibels in a December 2013 game against the Saints, a record later reclaimed by Kansas City Chiefs fans at Arrowhead Stadium the following year.
Though records may change, Seahawks fans take pride in a notable moment during the 2011 playoff game, when Marshawn Lynch’s 67-yard touchdown run created enough of a commotion to register on a seismometer, earning the name «The Beastquake» due to the upset against the reigning Super Bowl champion Saints.
In recent comments, Seahawks management has expressed a strong desire to restore that vibrant environment.
«We need to revitalize Lumen’s excitement,» Schneider mentioned back in February.
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WHEN ESPN POLLED 111 NFL athletes last season regarding the most challenging venues, Lumen Field ranked second, only behind Arrowhead Stadium. However, the Seahawks’ recent home record suggests it doesn’t retain that hard-earned reputation.
From 2003 to 2019 — encapsulating various phases of Holmgren’s and Carroll’s coaching tenures, alongside Jim L. Mora’s single season — the Seahawks maintained the fourth-best home winning percentage in the NFL at .706. Conversely, they posted a .474 road record during that time, ranking 12th overall in the league.
In 2020, they achieved an impressive 7-1 home record, despite having no fans present due to COVID-19 restrictions, while securing a 5-3 record away.
During Carroll’s final three years, from 2021 to 2023, however, their home winning percentage dropped to .520, tying for 18th place. This decrease occurred alongside a slight decline in their road performance, with a .462 success rate, similarly placing them at 17th.
Since the onset of last season, Seattle’s home winning percentage has plummeted to .333, positioning them tied for 25th.
Meanwhile, following their triumph in Jacksonville, Macdonald is now one of only four coaches in NFL history to achieve 10 wins in their first 11 road games, alongside George Seifert, Sean McVay, and Paul Brown, as reported by ESPN Research.
Cooper Kupp recently joined the Seahawks after an eight-year stint with the rival Los Angeles Rams.
«It significantly alters the dynamics. Teams need to factor that in. When executed optimally, it’s unrelenting. For opposing offenses, there’s no reprieve from the noise. It complicates communication, even in the huddle,» Kupp explained.
Reflecting on a game against the Minnesota Vikings, when Seattle led 24-20 with just four minutes remaining, former Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold had to cover his earholes while attempting to hear instructions from his sideline amid the cacophony.
«In that environment, it was surreal,» Darnold recalled about the difficulty quarterbacks face in such situations. «Seattle’s crowd truly excels at making the stadium resonate, creating a daunting atmosphere for visiting teams.»
However, this same environment sometimes hinders Seattle’s defense, as revealed in a critical moment during a late-game drive.
During that decisive drive, as Minnesota aimed for crucial yardage at Seattle’s 39-yard line, linebacker Julian Love attempted to adjust the coverage, leading to a breakdown in communication that allowed Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson to score the winning touchdown.
Macdonald’s intricate defensive scheme relies heavily on verbal coordination, demanding significant communication even prior to the snap, as players at all defensive levels must align perfectly.
The previous defensive systems implemented under Carroll were notably less complex, which equipped players to manage the crowd noise more efficiently.
«We cherish our supportive fans, and appreciate the loud atmosphere, but we must be adaptable,» Reed asserted. «During practice, it’s vital to enhance our communication strategies to prepare for the noise when it escalates in the stadium.»
Ernest Jones IV, Seattle’s defensive signal-caller, acknowledged the influence of noise but emphasized it wasn’t an excuse for the team’s struggles. «It’s a challenge we embrace, and we are constantly learning to navigate it effectively,» he stated.
Of the six losses suffered at home during their 10-7 season in 2024, four came against teams achieving 10 or more victories, including Minnesota (14-3).
The competition faced at Lumen Field last season boasted a cumulative winning percentage of .542, in stark contrast to a .449 figure for adversaries on the road. The current season’s figures suggest a similar narrative: .543 at home versus .455 away.
The events unfolding just prior to that 2024 game against Minnesota are also noteworthy in understanding the dynamics behind Seattle’s home struggles.
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«GO PACK GO» chants were clearly audible from the press area and on the TV broadcast during the Seahawks’ Sunday night matchup against the Green Bay Packers in Week 15 last December. Players could hear them, too.
«In the first quarter, on the second or third play, the noise level spiked dramatically, and upon looking around, there were numerous Green Bay supporters present,» noted former Seattle receiver DK Metcalf. «They traveled exceptionally well. It just makes you wish the 12s hadn’t resold as many tickets, ensuring we had the home-field advantage.»
A similar scenario unfolded two months earlier when the Seahawks faced the Buffalo Bills, where the presence of Bills fans made it feel as though Seattle was the visiting team, as noted by former quarterback Geno Smith.
Despite Seattle being the most geographically isolated NFL city, Seahawks fans travel well. During a match at State Farm Stadium last season — over 1,400 miles away from Seattle — they filled the stands, forcing the Arizona Cardinals to revert to a silent count at home. After another victory there last month, chants of «SEA-HAWKS» resonated near the Amazon Prime broadcast set, outshining Darnold’s post-game interview.
However, the Seahawks are striving to reverse this trend, believing their stadium has become a hotspot for away supporters due to its historical reputation as one of the NFL’s most electrifying venues.
In an effort to mitigate this issue, they dispatched a letter to season-ticket holders indicating that «renewal eligibility could be affected if your tickets have predominantly been utilized for resale purposes.» Teams like the Packers, Colts, and Buccaneers have implemented similar measures in recent times.
To encourage attendance among season-ticket holders, the Seahawks are updating their rewards system, now prioritizing those who attend every game for seat upgrades. Yet, they recognize the economic factors at play for those who do resell, with tickets to marquee matchups fetching prices high enough on the secondary market to alleviate most, if not all, of their season balance. Thus, opposing fans are often willing to pay a premium for a unique experience.
Is this trend diminishing the Seahawks’ home-field edge? Or is it a reflection of the team’s decline at Lumen Field, providing fans another rationale — besides financial incentives — to opt for comfort at home?
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It could be a combination of both.
Macdonald has underscored the necessity for the squad to enhance Lumen Field’s atmosphere, insisting that the Seahawks must do better in delivering compelling performances that inspire fervent support.
«Victories are essential,» he emphasized. «Opposition fans won’t flock to the games if we consistently deliver remarkable performances.»
Yet, history shows that transforming a trend is often less straightforward.
«If we could pinpoint the winning formula for home games, believe me, would implement it at every opportunity,» Macdonald said. «What I can assure you is, we are pursuing it relentlessly, and our players are equally committed.»
