12 As One - From XLVIII to LX: A Love Letter to Seahawks Football

Dear Seattle Seahawks,

It was a lifelong dream come true.

Going to the Super Bowl was something I had imagined since I was a kid, not just watching it on TV, but being there, feeling it, living inside the moment. And somehow, improbably, I got to experience it the best way possible: sitting beside my dad, the person who first taught me what this game meant.

I grew up with football in my blood. It was my fuel, my love, my passion, the thing that first connected me to my dad. My family has always bonded over the power of the game, and its influence has guided so many of the decisions I’ve made in life. The lessons football has taught me - discipline, resilience, belief, and heart - have always extended far beyond the field. From the little girl scribbling game notes and memorizing players, to sitting in the stands at the Super Bowl, this journey has only deepened my love for the sport and solidified me as a fan for life.

When the Seahawks ran onto the field at Super Bowl LX, it wasn’t just another championship game. It felt like the continuation of something that started years earlier in living rooms, in conversations about players and grit and belief, and in the simple act of sharing Sundays together. Football has always been more than a sport in my life. It has been a bond, a teacher, and a source of identity - and this night felt like all of those things coming full circle.

Over 20 games attended, more than a decade removed from Seattle’s first championship on February 2, 2014, a dominant 43–8 victory over Denver, and countless “SEA-HAWKS!” chants later, I was finally there. I had reached the pinnacle of professional sports

The Atmosphere: A Stadium That Felt Alive

From the moment we walked into the stadium, it felt different from any game I had ever attended. It wasn’t just louder or bigger, it was fuller. Fuller of anticipation, history, and fans who understood they were witnessing something rare. Every jersey told a story. Every handshake between strangers felt like a shared understanding: you don’t get here often, and you don’t take it for granted when you do.

When the Seahawks took the field, the energy shifted from celebration to belief. The “12s” didn’t just cheer; we announced ourselves. The SEA-HAWKS chant rolled through the stadium in waves, the same chant I had yelled in living rooms, at regular-season games, and leaving Lumen Field. Only this time, it echoed on the sport’s biggest stage.

The Game Itself: A Return to Identity

What stood out most wasn’t just that Seattle won, it was how they won.

This wasn’t a game built on flash. It was built on discipline, physicality, and trust in a system.

The defense played fast and aggressively, setting the tone early. Every stop felt like a statement. Every tackle reinforced the identity Seattle has carried at its best: relentless, accountable, and united.

On offense, the rhythm was patient and deliberate. Drives were earned. Yard by yard, the Seahawks imposed their style of play, controlling the tempo and refusing to be pulled into anything outside of themselves.

It felt familiar. Not in a nostalgic way, but in a foundational one. The same principles that defined past success were back, adapted to a new roster, a new moment, and a new generation.

Lessons That Go Beyond Football

Watching that game unfold, I realized why football has always meant so much to me.

It’s a sport that demands resilience. Seasons don’t go perfectly. Careers don’t follow straight lines. Wins require preparation long before the spotlight ever arrives. Those lessons mirrored so many of the values my dad instilled in me growing up: show up, do the work, trust your team, and stay grounded no matter the stage.

Football teaches you how to handle adversity, how to celebrate effort, and how to believe in progress even when results aren’t immediate. Sitting there together, those lessons didn’t feel abstract. They felt alive.

More Than a Championship Moment

As the clock wound down and the realization set in that Seattle had done it again, the celebration wasn’t just about a trophy. It was about validation, of culture, of patience, of identity.

Championships mark moments, but they also mark continuity. This one connected eras. It showed that while players change and seasons pass, the core of what makes Seahawks football meaningful remains intact: toughness, unity, and the unwavering voice of the 12.

Looking Ahead: The Next Chapter

The beauty of sports is that they never truly end. Even the highest peak becomes the starting point for what comes next.

For Seattle, this win isn’t just a culmination; it’s a bridge. A reminder that success isn’t tied to one legendary roster or one unforgettable season. It can be rebuilt, reimagined, and earned again.

For me, it reaffirmed why I’ve always loved this game. Football isn’t just about outcomes. It’s about connection, between teammates, between fans, and, in my case, between a father and daughter who found something to believe in together.

A Memory That Will Last a Lifetime

Long after the final whistle, after the confetti settled and the stadium slowly emptied, I realized that what I would carry home wasn’t just the memory of a Super Bowl victory.

It was the journey to get there. The years of watching, learning, and cheering. The bond that started it all.

Football gave me that. And on this night, at the highest level the sport can offer, it gave me a moment that will stay with me forever.

Go Hawks!!

Edited by: Megan Livengood