NFL: Seattle comes out to celebrate with Seahawks
Thousands of Seattle Seahawks fans turned out in freezing temperatures to see their team parade the Vince Lombardi Trophy after their success in Super Bowl XLVIII.
Around 700,000 fans came out to celebrate with the Seahawks, who became NFL champions for the first time in their history with a 43-8 triumph over the Denver Broncos at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.
Head coach Pete Carroll led the crowd in a “Seahawks! Seahawks!” chant and said the team will be back next year with the intention of defending their crown.
“We’re just getting warmed up, if you know what I’m talking about,” he said after travelling the journey in a military vehicle.
Many had camped out overnight, despite the conditions, to get a good spot to view the parade. The city’s schoolchildren were also officially allowed to be absent for the day to allow them to witness the occasion.
The route started out near the Space Needle before making a journey to CenturyLink Field, the home of the team.
A ceremony was then held inside the stadium where the players thanked their fans – known as the ’12th Man’ – for their support over the season. A “moment of loudness” was also staged at 12:12pm.
Each member of the team was introduced in the order of their jersey number, though quarterback Russell Wilson (who wore No.3) was the last to emerge, holding aloft the trophy.
Wilson threw for 206 yards and two touchdowns in the resounding victory over the Broncos, while the Seahawks’ defence dominated their opponents.
“It’s always been a dream, now it’s a reality,” said wide receiver Golden Tate, who had three catches for 17 yards in Sunday’s game in New York.
Seattle has endured a wait to celebrate sporting glory; their NBA franchise, the SuperSonics, last claimed the title in 1979. They have since been relocated to Oklahoma City.
The Seattle Storm were crowned WNBA champions in 2004 and 2010, but the closest the Seahawks had previously come to glory was a defeat to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XL eight years ago.
