Freezing temperatures at the top of the Space Needle didn't seem to faze Seahawks Legend Dave Krieg, the former Seattle signal caller who hoisted the 12 Flag Friday morning high atop the city's most famous landmark.
"I'm from Wisconsin, actually," said Krieg, who played 12 seasons for the Seahawks from 1980-91. "So this isn't even cold. This would be a warm, balmy day in Wisconsin, so I'm not that worried about it."
Krieg, a three-time Pro Bowler in his playing days, quarterbacked the Seahawks to their first-ever postseason appearance in 1983, winning in both the Wild Card and divisional rounds to help put Seattle in its first-ever conference championship game. With the 2016-17 Seahawks readying for their Wild Card matchup against the Detroit Lions on Saturday night at CenturyLink Field, it was Krieg who was chosen to carry on what has become one of the team's more iconic postseason traditions.
"This is incredible coming up here," Krieg said of Frday's experience at nearly 600 feet. "Having the Space Needle people take care of us and everything, and then the view — it's unbelievable, it's incredible. I mean the height, yeah, it's kind of scary, but when you take into consideration the view and everything and what this is all for, to kick off the playoff game tomorrow, it's worth it. It's so awesome."
A 2004 inductee to the team's Ring of Honor, Krieg holds franchise marks in career passing yards (26,132), completions (2,096), attempts (3,576), and touchdowns (195). He originally joined the Seahawks as an undrafted free agent out of Milton College, and when recalling Friday where he came from to where he is now, it made the Space Needle experience all the more special.
"This is huge," Krieg said. "I got to raise the flag in the stadium and then to do it here for the playoffs, because our fans are known throughout all the NFL as the best fans in the NFL. They're all together. They're a team. They help the players on the field when they need some inspiration. So the players would admit that they're all part of this team as well. To me, this ranks up there like — maybe not one of the things on the field, but off the field it's probably in the top one or two."
Former Seahawks quarterback Dave Krieg raised the 12 Flag at the Space Needle on Seahawks Blue Friday, January 6, 2017, as the team readies for its Wild Card playoff game against the Detroit Lions.
Former Seattle Seahawks quarterback Dave Krieg, right, is interviewed after he raised a Seahawks 12 flag on the roof of the Space Needle, Friday, Jan. 6, 2017, in Seattle. The Seahawks will host the Detroit Lions Saturday in an NFL football NFC wild card playoff football game. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
