The Seattle Seahawks have been around since the 1976 season. When they entered into the league, they were initially in the NFC, and that conference has been their home from 2002 until present day. But from 1977-2001, the Seahawks were an AFC team, and many older fans still surely think of them as such. At least in the back of their minds.
Seattle is not the only team to flip flop conferences, but they are the only team to have achieved something truly unique. The Seahawks are the only franchise in NFL history to have played in both an NFC and AFC Championship game.
Fans today are intimately familiar with the fact Seattle has been to three Super Bowls since the 2005 season, their only appearances to date. Of course, in order to reach the Super Bowl, a team obviously needs to win their conference championship. The Seahawks as a franchise are 3-0 in the NFC title game.
However, their time competing for a spot atop the conference did not begin in the 2005 season. When Seattle first earned a playoff berth during the 1983 season, they took their opportunity and ran with it. Chuck Knox’ team defeated rookie John Elway’s Broncos 31-7 in the Wild Card round, then upset Dan Marino’s Dolphins on the road in the Divisional. Those wins earned them a spot in the AFC Championship.
Unfortunately, that was the end of the road for the Seahawks that year, as the Los Angeles Raiders trounced Seattle 30-14 in another AFC West showdown. While the Seahawks were unable to advance to their first Super Bowl then, their mere appearance in the AFC title game would prove to help the franchise make history.
History that might not ever be replicated.
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