Today is a special day in Seattle Seahawks history. On this day, 19 years ago, the Seahawks claimed their first NFC Championship, and punched their ticket to their first Super Bowl ever. Finally, after 30 seasons of existence, the Seahawks reaped the rewards of conference supremacy and had an opportunity to play for a Lombardi.
The 2005 campaign will always be a special one, as Seattle won 13 games for the first time ever and went into the playoffs as the No. 1 seed. The road to Super Bowl XL went through the Emerald City, and the 12th Man showed the world what a fortress Lumen Field (called Qwest Field in those days!) could be.
One for the books. https://t.co/OUBxofWdDO pic.twitter.com/RlQtpNgraC
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) January 22, 2025
As the recently-crowned American Idol winner Carrie Underwood finished her rendition of the National Anthem, it was on between the Seahawks and the Carolina Panthers. Carolina was attempting to earn their second conference championship in three season, but their efforts were quickly extinguished in Seattle.
The Seahawks built up a 20-7 halftime lead behind the arm of Matt Hasselbeck and the legs of league MVP Shaun Alexander. Eventually, the game was put out of reach once Alexander had his second rushing touchdown to give Seattle a 34-7 lead late in the fourth. A garbage time touchdown from the Panthers did little to ease the pain of a blowout loss, as the Seahawks ended with their 34-14 victory.
Hasselbeck was an efficient 20-of-28 for 219 yards and two touchdowns, while Alexander bullied his way to 132 rushing yards and two touchdowns as well.
Sadly, the Seahawks would have to wait eight more years to win their first Lombardi, as highly suspect officiating cost them in Super Bowl XL. Still, this was a building block the franchise needed and finally achieved. There are still teams in this league who remain searching for their first conference championship, and on this day 19 years ago, the Seahawks triumphantly removed themselves from that list.
