Tag: CenturyLink Field

Seahawks use Twitter to remember fallen soldiers on Memorial Day

Russell Wilson and a handful of other Seattle Seahawks used social media to commemorate those who lost their lives on Memorial Day.

Memorial Day often marks the beginning of the warm weather season, summers filled with barbecues, beverages, friends, and baseball on the TV.

This year is a little different, as the COVID-19 crisis has made the holiday feel a lot more like a regular day, thanks to social distancing practices that have kept the majority of Americans at home, many without jobs.

However, it is still a day to celebrate those who have lost their lives while serving our country, and while that may not happen over a barbecue with the neighbors, remembrance can still be had over social media.

The Seattle Seahawks took to Twitter to celebrate our fallen soldiers, and a handful of current and former players followed suit as well.

The Seahawks will continue to hunker down, with a handful of NFL teams set to re-open their practice facilities in the month of June.

The Seahawks are not set to begin training camp until the end of July, and it is still unclear if that will happen at the practice facility or not.

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NFL planning on full stadiums until medical community says otherwise

NFL EVP of Football Operations, Troy Vincent, said the NFL is still planning on full stadiums this fall despite the coronavirus pandemic.

The National Football League is still gearing up for the start of the scheduled 2020 regular season despite the coronavirus pandemic that is keeping most sports teams off fields around the country.

The NFL, for now, is planning on stadiums full of fans this fall.

NFL EVP of Football Operations, Troy Vincent, explained the game plan during an interview Friday with Brian Mitchell of The Team 980.

“We are planning to have full stadiums until the medical community tells us otherwise,” Vincent said. “Now remember when we’re talking – we’re talking about September, August, September. So there’s a lot that can happen here. So we’re planning for full stadiums.”

A number of teams around the league have slowly begun to reopen their facilities, although under strict guidelines from the NFL and local officials.

Vincent does acknowledge, however, that things could likely look different in stadiums this season if social distancing and other safety measures don’t allow for full capacity.

“We also know that we have to plan for half stadiums,” Vincent said. “Three-quarters. So we’re planning for all of these different scenarios. But first and foremost, we’re making every effort, working with the medical community, if we can have those stadiums with all people until they tell us otherwise when that time comes, that’s our plan.

“That’s our plan of action.”

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Governor Inslee: ‘A possibility’ football is played in Seattle this fall

Governor Jay Inslee isn’t committing to anything yet but believes NFL football could be played in Seattle after the COVID-19 spread slows.

Americans around the nation are scrambling to interpret the federal government’s new phases for opening the country back up amid the coronavirus pandemic. Governors have been tasked with making very difficult decisions with regard to their states.

One of the major concerns is when or if major sporting events will be played in the near future.

Governor Jay Inslee joined Sports Radio 950 KJR to discuss.

“It is a possibility,” Inslee told the Dave “Softy” Mahler and Dick Fain Show. “Right now, if I had a dollar to bet I’d bet that we’re going to have football in the fall but the virus gets a vote on this and we’ve got to make decisions to save lives. If I had a dollar to bet…

“And it may be different,” Inslee continued. “We maybe have only a quarter of the people in the stands, for instance. But you have to realize these are decisions we can’t make now. I’d love to be able to look in the crystal ball to answer those.”

For now, Washingtonians and NFL fans around the country will at least get to enjoy next week’s NFL virtual draft.

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Seahawks to pay part-time employees, help others impacted by closures

In light of the recent coronavirus outbreak, the Seattle Seahawks will pay part-time employees and help others impacted by venue closures.

In the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, the Seattle Seahawks – like other sports teams – are stepping up to find ways to help employees and local citizens during this time of need.

The Seahawks and Trailblazers will pay part-time employees impacted by event cancellations at CenturyLink Field and Portland’s Moda Center. In addition, both clubs will donate thousands of pounds of food from their closed venues to local charities.

“We are all witnessing the impacts of COVID-19 and how it is harming the health, vibrancy, and economic well-being of our communities,” said Jody Allen, co-founder and chair of Vulcan Inc. and the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, and chair of the Seattle Seahawks and the Portland Trail Blazers. “We are thoughtfully assessing ways we can help mitigate some of these impacts, and we are grateful to the many health care workers, partners, local and regional authorities, fellow funders and business leaders on the front lines in Seattle and Portland.

“While we work as a community to respond to this crisis, we take seriously the shared responsibility to follow official public health guidance and be diligent in our social distancing during these challenging times.”

If you are interested in donating to the cause, the Seahawks encourage fans to visit the Seattle Foundation COVID-19 Relief Fund.

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Seahawks postpone Military Hiring Fair ‘out of an abundance of caution’

The Seattle Seahawks have postponed their Military Hiring Fair ‘out of an abundance of caution’ due to the spread of Coronavirus in the area.

The Seattle Seahawks have postponed their Military Hiring Event “out of an abundance of caution” due to the spread of the Coronavirus throughout Washington State.

The event, open to all branches of service – active duty, reservists, veterans, family members and DoD employees – was to have taken place on March 14 at CenturyLink Field and was sold out.

A part-time employee who had worked the XFL’s Seattle Dragons game at the stadium recently has now been diagnosed with COVID-19.

The Seahawks tweeted the following information Friday afternoon:

“Out of an abundance of caution, and in light of current recommendations from public health officials, we will be postponing the Military Hiring Fair scheduled for Mar 14. We apologize for any inconvenience.

“We will communicate a new date for the event as soon as it has been set.”

The Seattle Sounders FC’s match versus Columbus Crew SC set for  Saturday, March 7 is set to take place as planned at CenturyLink Field.

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CenturyLink Field to go cashless for all events

CenturyLink Field will no longer be accepting cash payments as a way to make in-stadium purchases quicker and more efficient.

CenturyLink Field, the home of the Seattle Seahawks, Seattle Sounders and now the XFL’s Seattle Dragons, announced it will no longer accept cash for sales transactions at the stadium, the Event Center, as well as the WAMU theater.

Concessions, retail purchases and parking payments will only be accepted on credit, debit or prepaid cards in an effort to speed up transaction times and improve efficiency throughout the stadium.

“We are continually looking at new technology and innovative ways we can improve our customer experience, and moving to a cashless operations model will reduce the length of time our guests spend standing in line,” said David Young, general manager of the stadium. “Depending on the event, credit or debit cards are already being used for approximately 75% of all concessions transactions and 90% for retail purchases, so we are confident this will be a seamless transition for our guests and as a result they will experience a positive improvement in wait times.”

For fans who don’t have debit or credit cards, there are 10 cash-to-card kiosks in the stadium. They convert any amount of cash to a prepaid card that can be used anywhere in the stadium. The kiosks are free to use.

For more information and FAQs, visit www.centurylinkfield.com/cashless.

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Seattle Dragons open additional seating ahead of home opener

The Seattle Dragons opened more seating at CenturyLink Field ahead of their XFL home opener on Saturday, February 15.

Despite dropping their season opener on the road against the DC Defenders, 31-19, the XFL’s Seattle Dragons anticipate having one of the best home crowds in the entire eight-team league.

In fact, due to recent demand, the team announced Monday they will open additional seating sections at CenturyLink Field in advance of their home opener on Saturday, February 15 at 2:00 p.m. against the Tampa Bay Vipers.

Single-game tickets are on sale for $24 dollars and season tickets are $20 each, or $100 for all five home games.

“Affordability and access for our fans comes first and we are thrilled to open additional sections to accommodate our fans,” Seattle Dragons Team President Ryan Gustafson was quoted in a press release. “We are grateful and excited about the support we’ve received from the incredible sports fans of Seattle leading into our first home game on the 15th at CenturyLink Field.”

The Dragons have plenty of familiar faces on the roster for Seahawks fans, including a pair of former Seattle receivers in Kasen Williams and Keenan Reynolds – who scored the team’s first one-point conversion on Saturday.

However, inconsistent play from quarterback Brandon Silvers, who threw two interceptions, led to the defeat in Week 1.

“A few errors can really affect the game,” head coach and former Seahawks quarterback Jim Zorn said after the game. “We have to overcome those.”

Football fans in Seattle who want to see the Dragons in action can purchase tickets on the XFL website, or can tune in on FOX for the broadcast.

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Keenan Reynolds excited to be back in Seattle with the Dragons

Former Seattle Seahawks receiver Keenan Reynolds will once again populate the field at CenturyLink, this time with the Dragons of the XFL.

Even after spending the previous two hours in non-stop, sideways rain, Seattle Dragons receiver Keenan Reynolds was all smiles after Friday’s practice at Memorial Stadium in downtown Seattle.

“You gotta love the weather,” Reynolds cracked. “Little bit of drizzle, little bit of wind, right in front of the Space Needle, it don’t get much more Seattle than this. It’s great to be back, great to have another opportunity.”

Reynolds, more than most of his teammates, would know. The former Navy quarterback spent the 2018 season with the Seahawks, appearing in two games while spending the majority of the year on the practice squad.

He was with the Seahawks last summer as well, competing with rookie John Ursua to replace the retired Doug Baldwin in the slot. However, he was cut just before the season began and NFL rules prohibited him from being added to the practice squad, so Reynolds hit free agency.

After a brief stint as a TV analyst for the CBS Sports Network, Reynolds was selected in the fledgling XFL Draft by the Dragons – allowing him to stay close to home.

His familiarity with the city of Seattle, and their rabid fanbase, has him prepared for this upcoming season of games played at CenturyLink Field – a preparedness he is excited to share with his teammates.

“Yeah we kinda talked about it a little bit,” Reynolds said. “Just how loud the 12’s are. I think we’re going to have the best turnout fanwise. There’s nothing else going on in Seattle and Seattle fans are relentless. I think it’s going to be a great opportunity for us to play in front of a great crowd.”

While the depth chart has yet to be released, Reynolds is expected to be a big part of Seattle’s offense, a unit that also features former Seahawks receiver Kasen Williams and quarterback B.J. Daniels, along with Texas A&M running back Trey Williams and Troy quarterback Brandon Silvers.

Reynolds wouldn’t go into detail about his specific role on the team (“I can’t give you too much information,” he joked) but he did express excitement about the kickoff rules in the XFL, which should allow for more returns and excitement in an area of the game that, frankly, has gone stale in the NFL.

Reynolds was also excited about another new rule the XFL is adopting, allowing for two forward passes on a single play. One of the most prolific college quarterbacks of all-time while at Navy, it’s no surprise he’d take an interest in a rule that allows him to throw the ball downfield after making a catch. But, like before, he’s not releasing any part of the playbook just yet.

“That’s top secret, I don’t know if I can divulge,” Reynolds said, when asked if he envisions throwing the ball this year. “But I definitely was smiling when I saw that you get two forward passes, so that’s pretty cool.”

The Dragons will begin their inaugural season on Saturday, February 8 in DC against the Defenders.

Kickoff is slated for 2:00 p.m. PT.

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Seahawks sparkly road record will be tested in Green Bay

The Seattle Seahawks will travel to snowy Green Bay, Wisconsin to take on the Packers in their toughest road game of the season.

The Seattle Seahawks are now a remarkable 8-1 in road games this season, with an ugly 28-12 loss to the Rams in Los Angeles preventing them from a perfect record away from CenturyLink Field.

The list of teams with eight road wins in a season is small, and the list with nine only includes two teams – the 2007 Giants and 2005 Steelers – both who won the Super Bowl.

So it’s no question that Seattle’s trip to Lambeau Field in Green Bay will be a crucial one, and almost certainly represents their biggest road test of the entire season.

“There’s no tougher place to play than going to Green Bay,” coach Pete Carroll said on Monday. “We’re as ready as you can get. I like that. We’re gonna try to make the most of it.”

With respect to the road crowds in Philadelphia, San Francisco, Pittsburgh and everywhere else, Green Bay presents an entirely unique challenge – not just because of the rapid fanbase in Wisconsin but the weather conditions, which are particularly tricky this late in the season.

“I don’t think you can connect a fan base with your team any tighter than you can do it there,” Carroll continued. “They do a great job of knowing how to be a factor. And then there’s conditions to that go along with it. Earlier in the year it’s not a big deal, but late in the year the conditions can be a factor that you can’t copy. You just have to adjust when you’re there. Any of those things can become distractions if you let them.”

The Seahawks are expected to take on Green Bay in sub 30 degree temperatures, with the current weather forecast showing snow.

The snow, the fans and of course a 13-3 Packers squad will make things exceedingly difficult for the Seahawks on Sunday, but if we know anything about this team, it’s that they will be ready for it.

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Seahawks must plan for tight end George Kittle Week 17 against 49ers

The Seahawks will play the San Francisco 49ers Week 17 with tight end George Kittle healthy and must form a game plan with him in mind.

The Seattle Seahawks’ 27-24 overtime victory over the San Francisco 49ers in Week 10 was memorable in both the good and bad sense. It featured several back-and-forth scores and mistakes and culminated with a game-winning field goal by Jason Myers. However, San Francisco did not have their star tight end George Kittle playing in that game, which could have been the deciding factor. Seattle will face their bitter rivals with Kittle healthy for the division-deciding Week 17 showdown on Sunday.

This will be the most crucial game this season and the biggest regular-season game for the Seahawks in recent memory. Coach Pete Carroll acknowledged that San Francisco will present a tougher challenge with Kittle in the offense.

“He’s an amazing player, he really is,” Carroll told reporters Tuesday. “He’s a heart and soul guy for them, and a clutch guy, too. They go to him when times are crucial and all that. He’s a fantastic player. Not just a catcher, he’s a blocker as well. He’s a good ballplayer.”

Kittle has been one of the best tight ends in football this season, racking up 78 receptions for 967 receiving yards and five touchdowns in 13 games played. The Seahawks’ injured defense will be hard-pressed to defend him consistently on Sunday. They must formulate an effective gameplan with him in mind.

“We won’t be able to play them the way we did last time,” Carroll said. “We’re going to have to do things much differently because he’s in the game.”

The Seahawks are set to face off against the 49ers on Sunday, Dec. 29 at CenturyLink Field at 5:20 p.m. PT.

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