PHOTOS: Eye On the Hawks | Best of 2013
A historic season comes to a close with the best possible ending for any NFL team. Rod Mar illustrated the entire journey and these are his favorites of the collection written in his own words.
Could a game in September portend things to come six months later? At exactly 3:00pm, running back Marshawn Lynch walked through the narrow hallway leading from the garage at CenturyLInk Field to the locker room for a Week 2 game against the San Francisco 49ers. The Seahawks defeated the 49ers, 29-3, then beat them again in January in the NFC Championship game and earned a berth in Super Bowl 48.
The Week 2 matchup was so big it was featured on Sunday Night Football, and a thunderstorm stopped the game in the first half. Even after the weather delay, threatening skies continued over CenturyLink Field.
In his first regular season game as a Seahawk, Cliff Avril stripped the ball from San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick and Seattle recovered the fumble. Avril had a big year for the Seahawks, recording 9 1/2 sacks on the season.
The scoreboard read Seahawks 29, San Francisco 3, when quarterback Russell Wilson and head coach Pete Carroll shared a moment on the field during the two-minute warning with the game safely in hand.
Week 3 saw a visit by the Jacksonville Jaguars and linebacker Bobby Wagner tipped a pass then dove to make the interception providing one of the most spectacular plays of the season.
Week 4's visit to Houston greeted the Seahawks with thunderstorms and heavy rain on Saturday at the team's walk-thru which was held at a local outdoor field.
Seattle's wore their Wolf Grey uniforms for the first time in the 2013 season in a Week 5 visit to Houston to face the Texans. Return specialists including Walter Thurmond, Golden Tate and Doug Baldwin head down the tunnel to the field for pregame warmups.
Seattle traveled the following week to Indianapolis, where Saturday morning, quarterback Russell Wilson was already hard at work studying at the team breakfast in the hotel.
In the visitor's locker room at Lucas Oil Stadium, defensive backs Richard Sherman and Kam Chancellor mentally prepared themselves before the game.
The following week, Seattle returned to the friendly confines of CenturyLink Field for a battle with the Tennessee Titans. Seattle's Chris Clemons managed to slow down Tennessee's Chris Johnson by grabbing a piece of his jersey.
The Seahawks fans managed a burly smile while watching his team battle to a 20-13 victory.
Week 7 brought a visit to division foe Arizaona, and Seattle's Golden Tate posed as he flew into the end zone after a punt return which was called back due to a penalty.
In one of the most surreal moments of the season, head coach Pete Carroll did a pregame interview with ESPN and was oddly photobombed by Darth Vader, who passed silently behind him.
Quarterback Russell Wilson applied eye black before taking the field against the Rams at the Edward Jones Dome.
The Seahawks were back at home in Week 9 for a battle with the visiting Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and there was sun and skin and tattoos and oh, yeah, a 27-24 win by the home team.
After playing six close games in a row, Seattle began to find its stride in Atlanta. Running back Marshawn Lynch set the tone with this well-placed stff-arm to Falcons safety William Moore early in a 33-10 victory.
At halftime in Atlanta, Lineman Paul McQuistan and running back Marshawn Lynch talked shop in the locker room. Lynch gained a season-high 149 yards rushing in the victory.
On November 17 at CenturyLink Field for a game against the Minnesota Vikings, Heath Farwell was joined by a member of the military as they lead the team onto the field during pregame introductions. The NFL and the Seahawks honored the military during the game.
Seattle cornerback Walter Thurmond intercepted a pass and returned it for a touchdown and was joined by Byron Maxwell in the celebration as the Seahawks raced to a 41-20 victory.
New Orleans arrived in Seattle for a big matchup on Monday Night Football. Linebacker Cliff Avril jarred the ball loose from New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees on the Saints second offensive drive and Seattle defense led the way to a 34-7 win.
Well after the victory over the Saints and with the stands empty, a still fully dressed Russell Wilson spent time on the field with Make-A-With kid Brayden before taking him to the locker room to meet other Seahawks.
The Seahawks traveled to face their NFC West rivals, the San Francisco 49ers in their final matchup at Candlestick Park. In a far corner, Jeremy Lane, Heath Farwell, Malcolm Smith and Cliff Avril collect their thoughts right before leaving the locker room for kickoff.
The Seahawks spill out of the shower room as they gather for a pregame prayer in the antiquated visitors locker room at Candlestick Park.
Week 15 brought a trip to New York and a matchup with the New York Giants. Receiver Doug Baldwin playfully threw a snowball at head coach Pete Carroll outside the gym after the team's walk-thru.
Safety Earl Thomas found a quiet place in the moments before the team took the field at MetLife Stadium.
The Seahawks were comfortable playing in MetLife Stadium as they dominated the Giants in a 23-0 shutout. Richard Sherman danced to the stadium music during a timeout.
Richard Sherman blew kisses as the Seahawks put the wraps on a 23-0 shutout of the Giants in MetLife Stadium, their only visit of the 2013 calendar year, but a place they would revisit a month and a half later.
Quarterback Russeill Wilson studies game tape with teammates Robert Turbin (bottom), Golden Tate (top left) and Bryan Walters on the flight home from New York.
Tight ends coach Pat McPherson talks with Luke Willson during halftime of the Week 16 matchup at home against the Arizona Cardinals.
During the regular season finale against the St. Louis Rams at home, Malcolm Smith didhis best LeBron James imitation as he soaredinto the end zone with his pick-six which gave Seattle a 7-0 lead. Seahawks fans would see this same play and pose again in Super Bowl XLVIII.
In the NFC Divisonal playoff, Seahawks linebacker Bruce Irvin hit New Orleans running back Khiry Robinson during the first half as Seattle's defense asserted the dominance they would carry through the playoffs.
Fans braved wind and rain to cheer the Seahawks on to victory over New Orleans and the chance to play in the NFC Championship game against the San Francisco 49ers the following weekend.
Seahawks fever clearly gripped Seattle's fans, including this man who decided that going shirtless was fashionable for January.
The Seahawks defense waited for the Saints to break the huddle in the NFC Divisional Playoff game, which Seattle won, 23-15.
The city of Seattle was gripped by a Seahawks fever in the week leading up to the NFC Championship game. On Friday night, CenturyLink Field was resplesdent in the fading light in preparation of the game against the rival 49ers that would be held in less than 48 hours.
Amid the pregame pyrotechnics, cornerback Richard Sherman makes his entrance to a thunderous roar at CenturyLink Field. Three hours later, Sherman would be the hero as his tipped pass sealed a trip to the Super Bowl for the Seahawks.
Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, together with their singers and dancers performed a high-energy show at halftime of the NFC Championship game.
As the confetti rained down upon them quarterback Russell Wilson celebrated the 23-17 victory over San Francisco and resulting trip to the Super Bowl with general manager John Schneider and head coach Pete Carroll.
A wildly enthusiastic crowd comprised of thousands of 12's lined the route as the four buses carrying the Seahawks, coaches and staff threaded their way to SeaTac International Airport for their departure to Super Bowl XLVIII.
Before the team's first meeting in New Jersey and while the team got accustomed to their new surroundings, head coach Pete Carroll warmed up with a few jump shots with assistant Ben Malcolmson.
With long days and their bodies adjusting to the time change on the East Coast, players rested when they could. Golden Tate snuck in a quick nap in the empty locker room at the team's practice facility which was being loaned to them by the New York Giants.
Gotta look sharp in front of a worldwide audience, so safety Kam Chancellor's barber showed up at the team hotel and set up in a dining room to make sure Kam was right for game day.
Game day finally arrived and safety Earl Thomas was first on the bus and alone with his thoughts as he preparesd for the biggest game of his life.
"WHO'S GOT YOUR BACK? I GOT YOUR BACK!" Richard Sherman leads the Legion of Boom in their now-traditional pregame circle prior to taking the field for warmups for Super Bowl XLVIII.
Long snapper Clint Gresham, holder Jon Ryan and kicker Steven Hauschka make one final practice field goal before heading to the locker room at MetLife Stadium.
Calm before the storm. This is what the Seahawks locker room looked with about 30 minutes left before kickoff. A member of the equipment staff pumps air into Percy Harvin's helmet as Ricardo Lockette stretches and Tarvaris Jackson and Golden Tate sit at their lockers.
It didn't take long for the Seahawks domination of Super Bowl XLVIII to begin. On the first play from scrimmage, Denver misfired on the snap and the ball careened towards the end zone for a safety, giving Seattle an early 2-0 lead. After the play, the clock showed that exactly 12 seconds of the game had elapsed.
If fans were worried about the Seahawks keeping their momentum after halftime, it only took them 12 seconds (Seattle fans' favorite number) to score as Percy Harvin returned the kickoff 87 yards for a touchdown to extend Seattle's lead to 30-0.
Seahawks receiver Jermaine Kearse leaves two Denver defenders in the dust as he breaks four tackles in one play en route to a 23-yard touchdown in the third quarter and 36-0 Seattle lead.
Head coach Pete Carroll gets the first drops of the traditional Gatorade bath courtesy of Zach Miller and Russell Wilson at the end of Super Bowl XLVIII.
After finally getting the chance to gather the team after a dominating 43-8 Super Bowl victory over the favored Denver Broncos, head coach Pete Carroll gave his players his postgame talk, then asked them to hold the Lombardi Trophy aloft one more time.
Never mind that it was after 3am, two guys with energy to spare -- Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll and Seattle-based rapper Macklemore bounce on stage to the Seahawks unofficial anthem "Can't Hold Us" during the team's postgame party.
