February 11, 2026 • 25 mins
Kevin Harlan, voice of the NFL on Westwood One and CBS, joins Dave Softy Mahler to talk about the Seahawks’ blowout win over the Patriots in Super Bowl LX, Sam Darnold and his story, if Kenneth Walker was the correct MVP pick, the streaker, and repeating.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is Duke of Duke Seafood letting you know that
this hour of Softy and Dick on your home for
the Huskies and Kraken is probably brought to you by
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Speaker 2 (00:18):
Her NFL champions, the seattles Hee Hawks have one Super
Bowl forty eight.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
As part of our non stuff coverage of the NFL,
this is Softy's weekly visit with Kevin.
Speaker 4 (00:29):
Harlan's a pulldozer. He's a piece.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
Brought to you by Twin Peaks in tuck Willa open
every Sunday morning, justin time for kickoff.
Speaker 5 (00:37):
It was like a pinball.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Bang it off, Punni's up twenty three.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
Yard catch it run, catch every game, every bite and
every sip only at Twin Peaks. Dug Willa hit the
cuts down, Hit the cuts down.
Speaker 4 (00:51):
HiT's crab byke Curse. Now with Kevin, Here's Softy shot
Guns Net forty four Seattle. He's energy, duck Beck.
Speaker 6 (00:57):
Theball free pick up ye of cunning down the tight
thirty twenty keV five touchdown, it's picked off in a touchdown, Seattle.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
Is scored on another turnover and that we'll seeal. And
it seems right now for the Seahawks. The clock is
ticking two one and that's it. M The Seattle Seahawks
have one Super Bowl sixteen in pretty dominating fashion. Twenty
nine thirteen, they win their second. Vince Labody Cookie that
(01:32):
man on the call.
Speaker 4 (01:33):
You heard the game right here on KJR on Sunday,
our friend every single Wednesday, courtesy of our pals at
Twin Peaks, Tuck Will. We are so lucky to have
this guy join us during the football season every Wednesday.
One more time though, to wrap it up and talk
about what it was like to be in the booth
in the stadium and call the Seahawks second title on Sunday,
(01:53):
our friend, Kevin Harlan, how are you man?
Speaker 5 (01:56):
I'm doing great? Congratulations, how fun? And you and I
had been talking that because they win so close to
the last time they won relatively speaking, you know, they
didn't skip the generation. Some teams skip, you know, multiple
generations before they win it. So it's always so new
(02:17):
and fresh and and you're just delirious because it has
been so long for you guys. There is delirium, clearly,
but at the same time, it's the same generation now
that has gotten to enjoy it, you know, close together,
you know about it a little more than a decade apart.
So so this is great. And there was no doubt.
(02:38):
I don't think in anybody's mind that the best team
going into the postseason was Seattle. They didn't commit a turnover,
which is remarkable but shows you just how good this
team was and when they had to excel they did.
Games are different. Games have a different texture, they have
(02:59):
a different field, they have a different cadence and different
points to mark along the way, and this one was
no different, Like this was different than the RAM game,
which was different than you know, how the season ended
to get to this position is the number one overall
seed in the NFC. So what this team has done
(03:21):
is terrific in every way. And congratulations and a well coached,
well played playoff run. You take in its totality, it's
as good as we've seen lately.
Speaker 4 (03:31):
Yeah, first team in the Super Bowl era to win
a title and not have a turnover in the playoffs,
which is kind of ironic because that's what a lot
of people around the country were waiting for Sam Darnold
to do, to screw this up, to turn it over.
You know, I said on the show the other day
Kevin that when he took that sack, not fumbling the
(03:53):
ball to me, he was one of the biggest plays
of the game. So I guess how much credit should
Damn Darnold get for the way the game went when
he really did not need to do a lot. Considering
the way the Seawk defense.
Speaker 5 (04:08):
Played, well, you can hand this tool of their Their
main goal on the Patriots side defensively was clearly to
shut down Jackson, and for the most part they did.
He was a I hate to use the word non
factor because him being on the field, even when he's not,
you know, having the ball thrown his way, he is
(04:30):
a factor because he commands so much attention. So it
was one of those games where the defense this is
very Belichickian by the way, right, I mean and variable
is a disciple Bill Belichick, and that defense and Belichick's
number one thing every game going in defensively was to
shut down the number one thing and that opponent's offense,
(04:53):
right and clearly, But when you've got a couple of
guys that can make plays. Rookie tied end, you're terrific
running back, your quarterback who was in the MVP conversation,
and it had another spectacular year. It's it's hard to
plug every leak, and they got one maybe with Smith
and Jigba and the way they defended him. Bi Walker
(05:16):
clearly was able to take advantage of that. The quarterback
played the kind of game that he needed to play
in a game like that. That Seattle defense is good.
He knew it going in, just like yours. So like
everything for Sam, I just you know, this was you're
trying to poke holes in a number one seed in
(05:37):
a fourteen win season with a lot of wins to
end the year in the in the most difficult division
in pro football, and you're gonna find one thing and
you're gonna make it look expensive. And they picked all
the experts said the turnovers. I was probably amongst that voice. Yeah,
the turnovers were gonna be something you had to take
into account, and clearly the quarterback put that at the
(06:00):
top of his priority list as well, and it worked
not only in the Super Bowl but all playoff long.
Speaker 4 (06:06):
Yeah. Well, Kevin Harlan's back with us again. We talked
to him Friday on on Radio Row and now he's
with us again.
Speaker 5 (06:14):
Just be No one could deny it, no one could
say no.
Speaker 4 (06:19):
I felt like I needed a smoke after that interview,
to be honest with you.
Speaker 5 (06:24):
After it was a little eerie, but yeah, that's great. Yeah,
a little weird, but that's fine. I don't know if
I necessarily felt the same way, but I'm glad you did.
Speaker 4 (06:32):
I just don't get to see you very often, and
when I do, it gets maybe a little creepy. I
don't know, but it is.
Speaker 5 (06:39):
Kevin May. We love each other man, You're You're the
I love being on with you, and I'm this station
and a part of that community from a distance. And uh,
I'd be lying if I didn't say that our weekly
conversations and the association just with that city and the
station and and Brad, we're twin peaks. If you know,
(07:02):
deep down you don't feel like you know these are
good people, and it's it's nice to be associated in
life with people that are better than you. Firs and
I always feel that when we talk clearly, but just
in the entire community, it was real fun. Now I
wasn't rooting for anybody, but in your heart you say,
you know what, good for them. I'm glad it worked
(07:23):
out to leave you.
Speaker 4 (07:24):
Well, I just hope we don't have to wait another
thirty four years like we did between the Sonics and
the twenty thirteen team. And that's what kind of makes
this interesting, man, is that now I feel like Seattle,
the Seahawks at least are kind of on the map
and you know home. Grin was on the postgame show
with Dick Kevin on Sunday night Mike Holmgren, and he
thinks the NFL will maybe start looking at Seattle as
(07:47):
people do the Niners and the Dallas Cowboys and Kansas City.
That there's only been two teams that have been there
more in the last twenty years, and that's Brady and
the Patriots and Mahomes in Kansas City. I mean, what
is the You've been around the NFL a long time,
you know how much this franchise has grown. What is
the perception about this franchise now compared to let's say,
(08:09):
I don't know, maybe in the eighties and nineties.
Speaker 5 (08:13):
You know, it's weird because the West Coast never really
gets Probably what they deserve. I would tell you that
when Montana and Young and Walsh and Seaffert we're winning
those championships with the dynastic eighties that they had in
San Francisco, that they may have broken that mold a
little bit. The Lakers with Kobe and Shaq and Magic
(08:35):
and Kareem right probably broke it a little bit. It's
interesting how the West Coast is perceived because of the
time difference, and only because of the time difference. But
the truth of the matter is in the NBA and
now in the NFL, we've got dominant franchises out there,
two from the same division, you guys, and the Niners.
(08:56):
And by the way, the Rams won the Super Bowl
a couple of years ago right in Los Angele Julius.
So really, the only thing is the only difference is
is the time thing. You know, the PAC twelve dismantling
and then rebuild has been a complicated story. But and
the Big Ten now dealing with some carryover from that
(09:16):
conference to it, and the time difference is constantly thrown
out there. So I guess I would say this, and
this is something that's not new to your sports fan
out there, is that you're right the West Coast team
Seahawks right there at the top of that probably don't
get the credit they deserve because so much is tilted
to the east, to the southeast, maybe to the Midwest.
(09:38):
And then after that it's kind of like, well they're
two hours and back, they're three hours and back. And
it does it changes the perception when the games are on.
These are things you talked about for years. It's not
new ground, but I think that adds a little bit
to why maybe teams but that being said, when home
runs started and Pete Carroll continued, now Mike McDonald is
(09:58):
doing that job, those coaches, what that team has done
three Super Bowls since that, you know, since over the
last what ten, eleven, twelve years, like these have been
like some of the best teams in Pro football. And
you're right now now that the ownership thing is going
to get interesting too, quite frankly because of the Allen family,
(10:19):
beginning with Paul and now his sister, Like it is
interesting how a Super Bowl champion, you know, supposedly allegedly
reportedly is up for sale and now will she feels
different afterwards? Who knows, But it looks like that's where
they're trending and and so you know, again just kind
of more of a fluid story than than something that ends.
Speaker 4 (10:41):
A period, right, and that that Jody Allen's story. Paul
Allen and his will had made it clear that upon
his death everything had to be liquidated. The Seahawks, the Blazers,
the yachts, the artwork, everything has to go.
Speaker 5 (10:56):
Now.
Speaker 4 (10:56):
The only question is how long can Jody hang on
to it for? How long does she want to hang
on to it for before she sells the team? And
that is I mean, that's a potentially scary situation because
once the Allens took over, everything changed for this franchise.
And you know, as long as John Schneider's here, you
would think they're in good company. And I would just
ask you this. I mean, you've met and you've known
(11:18):
some of the great executives in the history of the NFL, Right,
I mean you Bobby Bethard, Bill Polly, and Ozzie Newsom,
for example, Where does John Schneider sit for you now,
with two titles, with two different coaches, two totally different rosters,
twelve years apart, where does John Schneider sit on the
list of the all time great executives? In this league.
Speaker 5 (11:39):
Well, I think once you've won two, and you've done
it now with two different coaches, two different quarterbacks, two
different teams, it probably seals them. In my mind. I
think anybody that follows this game knows how difficult it
is to do not with just the same cast every year.
(11:59):
But he's done it now at two different spots in
his career and with two different coaches and two different rosters.
That's hard, that's really really hard. But he's done it,
and I don't think there's any way around it. What
he's done, how he's done it, and what I think
enhances the story. He's a disciple of a guy who's
(12:21):
already in Canton with a Hall of Fame jacket, and
that's Ron Wolf. So if he's not on that road
and just maybe one stop away from his destination, in
my mind, he's already in. He's got a lot left
of him. By the way I mean this is, you
got a young coach and a young quarterback and a
young team for the most part around and the way
(12:43):
he replenishes that roster. Yeah, you may be on chapter
three of a ten chapter book, so listen, I don't
think we're ready to put a period, but rather a comma.
This guy is continuing and he is young enough to
keep going. I had, you know, the kind of respect
I have for him, But that organization now can be
(13:05):
You know how they had the blue bloods in college basketball?
We always talk about Kansas and Carolina and Indiana and
U Cola if you can ye North Carolina. Well, I
if you're going to talk about blue bloods, even though
they're relatively new the team compared to like the Packers
of Affairs, you'd have to put the Seattle Seahawks in
(13:25):
that category with the Niners, Steelers, Cowboys, Packers, you know,
I mean, Chiefs now clearly are in that category. I mean,
it's not more than five six seven teams, and I
don't know how you couldn't include the Seahawks. And modern
day football is one of those teams with what they've done.
Speaker 4 (13:42):
Yeah, Kevin, you mentioned Kenny Walker in the game. He
had one hundred and sixty one total yards MVP. Did
the right guy though, win the MVP? I mean Jason Yeah, yeah, yeah,
yeah jah. Some Myers goes out and sets a record.
Speaker 5 (13:57):
I know, I know it wasn't in a bunch of
fifty yard field goals, but there were field goals he
hit and every extra point he hit. He was spectacular,
and he's going to go down in history. He's set
in the record, and he should. And those field goals
were big. They were, and you can label them or
you put them in any kind of category you want.
(14:18):
But the key to that win, sustaining drives, coming up
with explosive plays, doing what he had to do was Walker.
In my mind, no doubt. Listen, had it been a
defensive game, Christian Gonzalez would have wanted in the secondary
for New England. He was that good. Yeah, he was,
in fact, one of the best defensive backed performances I've
(14:40):
ever seen in the Super Bowl. He was phenomenal. Broke
up three plays in my mind that I can recall
now and probably was on coverage and did other things
and other plays that we're not talking about, but he
was on Jackson, he held him in check, came up
with a couple of plays that were significant earlier in
the game. I can't say enough about his performance, but no,
(15:01):
Walker was the guy. He deserved it. One of the
great running back performances in Super Bowl history. He was
the guy in a winning cause and he deserved it, Kevin.
Speaker 4 (15:13):
I'm just curious. During the game, everybody wants to know,
did you or did you not recognize the streaker on
the field.
Speaker 5 (15:23):
Uh no, I say, I told people I was done
with that stuff, and I'm trying to keep my keep.
I mentioned him, I mentioned him, I said, I said
he would be he was being detained. Because now before
it always kind of felt like kind of a goofy,
fun maybe intoxicated thing that was going on and maybe
(15:46):
without a lot of harm, you know, really, now now
there are prop bets, there are messages and political causes,
and like now it's gotten complicated. So now I'm done
with that. I kind of feel that, like maybe I
did it when it was still kind of a funny,
goofy thing to do and right, but now no, no, no, no, no,
(16:10):
we don't do it anyway. Mentioned it because there's a
stoppage in play and it's got to be mentioned, but
not a lot of detail.
Speaker 4 (16:17):
No, I don't know if you noticed this or not,
but there was one of the security guys on the
field that ran after him that had a hell of
a time getting off the field. I think the guy
may have blown an acl or ripped a ground, he
was stumbling around trying to get back to the sideline.
The whole stadium gave the guy a standing ovation when
he got back. Well, you mentioned that there, Kevin a
(16:38):
few minutes ago. You know the reason why this one
for me is special two reasons. Number one, because you
beat the Patriots who ripped your guts out eleven years ago,
obviously in Arizona. And the thing about that game for me,
and I think I've told you this. I was there
with my wife and my mom and dad had a
chance to go back to back. You leave the stadium thinking, well,
that's it. I'll never get a chance to go back
(17:00):
to back ever again as a fan, And I think
this team has me thinking that they might have a chance.
I mean, obviously Mahomes and Alan Lamar. We'll see what
happens with those guys next season. A lot of parody
in the NFL this year. You said it yourself, chapter
three of a ten chapter book for this Seahawks football team.
(17:22):
Where would you put these guys on the list of
potential repeat winners next season?
Speaker 5 (17:28):
Well, depending on what free agency brings to you, what
free agency costs you, and how they draft see as
a fan, I'm thinking, well, I got the best general
manager who's picking trading, moving signing, letting guys walk. I
got the best guy in the business, So why do
(17:50):
I shit and watch him? And Beach in Kansas City,
maybe Sneid in Los Angeles. I mean, it's a handful
of guys that really stick out, and John maybe at
the top of the list. I'm telling you, I just
think that that I'm you know, so confident in the
way they'll construct it. Yeah, I have no doubt that
the coach and the and the and that uh you know,
(18:10):
personnel group of John's are on the same page, which
is a huge thing. By the way, you can't you
can't have the coaching staff, the head coach in particular,
think in one way, and and then and then the
front office doing something mell So they're they're they're they're
clearly at the hip connected and and and that always
vodes well. So yeah, but but listen, when you think
(18:33):
about what this has been, and you think about what
happened not in the two distant paths, think about the
Buffalo Bills, Think about the Bills with that quarterback. Think
about the Bills and how good they've been in that
division in the a f C. And they've never been
and they've got the quarterback. So when you say, hey,
we got Darnold, this is gonna you take nothing for granted.
(18:56):
And they're saying that in Kansas City after this year,
in a six win season, the quarterback blue as ACL
and a mco Right, I mean, like now a dynasty
that was clearly in place with a second act coming
up in a two act play. Now you're wondering the
quarterback is going to be thirty coming off a blown
knee head coaches sixty six. You know, maybe is a
(19:21):
little bit of fatigue in all parts of the fandom
and maybe in the organization of trying to deal with
a highly paid quarterback, not a lot of cap space,
a lot of guys wanting big money. Maybe taking a
little bit of their pressure off the gas. You know.
Maybe you know you're a different team and that will
be you know, some of the things that Mike has
(19:43):
got a battle. You know, because even though that name
plate says the same name, colors and uniform, number of
the guys that played a couple of days ago in
the Bay Area, it's not the same team. Now they're
higher paid. Now they've got more endorsement. Now they're a champion. Like,
now you've got deal with all the things in defending
a championship, and it's different. You've got an next time
(20:04):
your back, you're the target, You're the biggest game on
everybody's schedule. The World champs are coming into play. So
even you may you may have the same roster, but
you've got a whole different set of circumstances you've got
to deal with. And that becomes that's it, right, That's
that's the game you got to play. And that's what
Mike McDonald is going to go through beginning Monday morning,
(20:24):
and what they're going to face when they go to
the combine and when they go to the draft and
when free agency opens and all these things now take hold.
How do the current winners handle it? What are they
looking for? Can they come back as hungry, you know,
I just as hungry as they were this season? Can
can all these things align again and get them to
where they want to go in LA next February? Right?
Speaker 4 (20:44):
And relatively healthy as well? This year?
Speaker 5 (20:47):
I know, well said, yet nothing nothing catastrophic, right, Like
some teams got the big injury and they couldn't come
back and San Francisco faced that they had a hell
of a season and they played incredibly well, but you
knew that you cannot lose two pillars of your defense
and others along the way. And put I open there.
You can put Deebo, Samuel who left went the can,
(21:09):
put all those names in there. What they were is
not what they became. And it was remarkable of what
they achieved. But eventually it catches up with you. It
always does. It always catches up with you, and it
catched up with San Francisco.
Speaker 4 (21:22):
No, no doubt. Well one of those guys, real quick,
Kenny Walker is a free agent. They can tag him
for about fourteen million for next year. I don't know.
I mean, it's hard to imagine this guy not being
on the team, especially with Sharbonney's injury. How far, real Quick, Kevin,
would you go to keep Kenny Walker on this football
team next year?
Speaker 5 (21:41):
I guess I would. I would definitely take into consideration
the Super Bowl performance because that was his store. But
what these coaches will take into consideration are a variety
of things, and I kid you, not the one thing
that will stand out. He handled the extra load when
Charbonay was injured out, he handled the extra workload, all
(22:04):
those things. But they know how he's wired. They know
the kind of person he is. They know his work habits,
his study habits, how he keeps his body in shape.
What kind of guy he is away from the facility,
what kind of guy he is in the facility. Those
things add up. And if he's checked every box, if
he's the consummate pro, if he's always studied beyond what
(22:27):
is required, is he a great teammate? Like these are
things that will warrant a fourteen million dollar or whatever
he's looking for in his contract, that will that will
dictate almost as much as what he did Sunday in
Santa Clara. I know it sounds weird, but that position,
(22:48):
as we've seen, you can go out and get guys. Now,
he's not a guy. He is a special running back.
But when you're looking at the overall body of your offense,
you've got to consider everything. The importance of the left tackle.
The quarterback is going to be wanting some more down
the road, Smith and Jigba is going to require a
big money thing down the road like you've taken. And
(23:10):
that's what John Man's staff is doing. Probably as we speak,
looking at what you've got coming up next year, what's two,
what's three years down the road? How do we get
this thing to continue on this rail? And that will
have to be discussed on first Blush to say, absolutely,
give him what he wants. But is he the kind
of guy? And we've seen this, not with just running back,
but a lot of positions. When these guys have the
(23:32):
big game, they cash in, they get the money. They're
never Ezekiel Elliott like. I go right on down the
list of guys like, there are hundreds of them that
have the great game, the big season, they get the contract,
and they're they're just like nothing. Right. I don't think
Walker's like that. But I'm not with him every day
in practice. I don't travel with them. I don't watch
(23:53):
them study, I don't watch them practice. I don't know.
Those coaches know, I don't know, don't we don't know.
So they'll make the decision in the right world.
Speaker 4 (24:01):
Well, the only concern is the health. I mean, knock
on Wood was good this year, but for the first
three years it was up and down with him. So
all right, listen, man, great stuff, dude, Great to see
a Friday. Incredible call by you and Curt and company
on Sunday as well. We're gonna be replaying those highlights forever.
We'll probably have to update your open by the way
with some new highlights from from this year. But awesome job,
(24:23):
do it. Love having you on. Go enjoy basketball the
rest of the way and we'll catch up soon. All right.
Speaker 5 (24:29):
Man, Hey, my professional honor to be with you every
week and be on this terrific station and talk to
your great fans. And they're right as McDonald and everybody
else said, what about twelve? How about twelve? Look at
what twelve did for them so long this journey, and
I would agree to talk to that fan base is
a privilege by myself and I look forward to it
(24:52):
every Wednesday when we visit. And hopefully parade was great
and safe for everybody today, yep. And it's just nice
to be with you talking about what was a championship
season for the Seahawks.
Speaker 4 (25:03):
You're the man, great stuff. Love you. We'll talk soon, buddy, Thanks.
Speaker 5 (25:06):
Pal, Gay care, Dave, thank you so so much.
Speaker 4 (25:09):
All right, Kevin Harlan with us the parade mayn what
a sight that was today. We're gonna give you everything
you miss coming up at six pm tonight Baby Right
Here on ninety three three KJRFM
This is Duke of Duke Seafood letting you know that
this hour of Softy and Dick on your home for
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Speaker 2 (00:18):
Her NFL champions, the seattles Hee Hawks have one Super
Bowl forty eight.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
As part of our non stuff coverage of the NFL,
this is Softy's weekly visit with Kevin.
Speaker 4 (00:29):
Harlan's a pulldozer. He's a piece.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
Brought to you by Twin Peaks in tuck Willa open
every Sunday morning, justin time for kickoff.
Speaker 5 (00:37):
It was like a pinball.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Bang it off, Punni's up twenty three.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
Yard catch it run, catch every game, every bite and
every sip only at Twin Peaks. Dug Willa hit the
cuts down, Hit the cuts down.
Speaker 4 (00:51):
HiT's crab byke Curse. Now with Kevin, Here's Softy shot
Guns Net forty four Seattle. He's energy, duck Beck.
Speaker 6 (00:57):
Theball free pick up ye of cunning down the tight
thirty twenty keV five touchdown, it's picked off in a touchdown, Seattle.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
Is scored on another turnover and that we'll seeal. And
it seems right now for the Seahawks. The clock is
ticking two one and that's it. M The Seattle Seahawks
have one Super Bowl sixteen in pretty dominating fashion. Twenty
nine thirteen, they win their second. Vince Labody Cookie that
(01:32):
man on the call.
Speaker 4 (01:33):
You heard the game right here on KJR on Sunday,
our friend every single Wednesday, courtesy of our pals at
Twin Peaks, Tuck Will. We are so lucky to have
this guy join us during the football season every Wednesday.
One more time though, to wrap it up and talk
about what it was like to be in the booth
in the stadium and call the Seahawks second title on Sunday,
(01:53):
our friend, Kevin Harlan, how are you man?
Speaker 5 (01:56):
I'm doing great? Congratulations, how fun? And you and I
had been talking that because they win so close to
the last time they won relatively speaking, you know, they
didn't skip the generation. Some teams skip, you know, multiple
generations before they win it. So it's always so new
(02:17):
and fresh and and you're just delirious because it has
been so long for you guys. There is delirium, clearly,
but at the same time, it's the same generation now
that has gotten to enjoy it, you know, close together,
you know about it a little more than a decade apart.
So so this is great. And there was no doubt.
(02:38):
I don't think in anybody's mind that the best team
going into the postseason was Seattle. They didn't commit a turnover,
which is remarkable but shows you just how good this
team was and when they had to excel they did.
Games are different. Games have a different texture, they have
(02:59):
a different field, they have a different cadence and different
points to mark along the way, and this one was
no different, Like this was different than the RAM game,
which was different than you know, how the season ended
to get to this position is the number one overall
seed in the NFC. So what this team has done
(03:21):
is terrific in every way. And congratulations and a well coached,
well played playoff run. You take in its totality, it's
as good as we've seen lately.
Speaker 4 (03:31):
Yeah, first team in the Super Bowl era to win
a title and not have a turnover in the playoffs,
which is kind of ironic because that's what a lot
of people around the country were waiting for Sam Darnold
to do, to screw this up, to turn it over.
You know, I said on the show the other day
Kevin that when he took that sack, not fumbling the
(03:53):
ball to me, he was one of the biggest plays
of the game. So I guess how much credit should
Damn Darnold get for the way the game went when
he really did not need to do a lot. Considering
the way the Seawk defense.
Speaker 5 (04:08):
Played, well, you can hand this tool of their Their
main goal on the Patriots side defensively was clearly to
shut down Jackson, and for the most part they did.
He was a I hate to use the word non
factor because him being on the field, even when he's not,
you know, having the ball thrown his way, he is
(04:30):
a factor because he commands so much attention. So it
was one of those games where the defense this is
very Belichickian by the way, right, I mean and variable
is a disciple Bill Belichick, and that defense and Belichick's
number one thing every game going in defensively was to
shut down the number one thing and that opponent's offense,
(04:53):
right and clearly, But when you've got a couple of
guys that can make plays. Rookie tied end, you're terrific
running back, your quarterback who was in the MVP conversation,
and it had another spectacular year. It's it's hard to
plug every leak, and they got one maybe with Smith
and Jigba and the way they defended him. Bi Walker
(05:16):
clearly was able to take advantage of that. The quarterback
played the kind of game that he needed to play
in a game like that. That Seattle defense is good.
He knew it going in, just like yours. So like
everything for Sam, I just you know, this was you're
trying to poke holes in a number one seed in
(05:37):
a fourteen win season with a lot of wins to
end the year in the in the most difficult division
in pro football, and you're gonna find one thing and
you're gonna make it look expensive. And they picked all
the experts said the turnovers. I was probably amongst that voice. Yeah,
the turnovers were gonna be something you had to take
into account, and clearly the quarterback put that at the
(06:00):
top of his priority list as well, and it worked
not only in the Super Bowl but all playoff long.
Speaker 4 (06:06):
Yeah. Well, Kevin Harlan's back with us again. We talked
to him Friday on on Radio Row and now he's
with us again.
Speaker 5 (06:14):
Just be No one could deny it, no one could
say no.
Speaker 4 (06:19):
I felt like I needed a smoke after that interview,
to be honest with you.
Speaker 5 (06:24):
After it was a little eerie, but yeah, that's great. Yeah,
a little weird, but that's fine. I don't know if
I necessarily felt the same way, but I'm glad you did.
Speaker 4 (06:32):
I just don't get to see you very often, and
when I do, it gets maybe a little creepy. I
don't know, but it is.
Speaker 5 (06:39):
Kevin May. We love each other man, You're You're the
I love being on with you, and I'm this station
and a part of that community from a distance. And uh,
I'd be lying if I didn't say that our weekly
conversations and the association just with that city and the
station and and Brad, we're twin peaks. If you know,
(07:02):
deep down you don't feel like you know these are
good people, and it's it's nice to be associated in
life with people that are better than you. Firs and
I always feel that when we talk clearly, but just
in the entire community, it was real fun. Now I
wasn't rooting for anybody, but in your heart you say,
you know what, good for them. I'm glad it worked
(07:23):
out to leave you.
Speaker 4 (07:24):
Well, I just hope we don't have to wait another
thirty four years like we did between the Sonics and
the twenty thirteen team. And that's what kind of makes
this interesting, man, is that now I feel like Seattle,
the Seahawks at least are kind of on the map
and you know home. Grin was on the postgame show
with Dick Kevin on Sunday night Mike Holmgren, and he
thinks the NFL will maybe start looking at Seattle as
(07:47):
people do the Niners and the Dallas Cowboys and Kansas City.
That there's only been two teams that have been there
more in the last twenty years, and that's Brady and
the Patriots and Mahomes in Kansas City. I mean, what
is the You've been around the NFL a long time,
you know how much this franchise has grown. What is
the perception about this franchise now compared to let's say,
(08:09):
I don't know, maybe in the eighties and nineties.
Speaker 5 (08:13):
You know, it's weird because the West Coast never really
gets Probably what they deserve. I would tell you that
when Montana and Young and Walsh and Seaffert we're winning
those championships with the dynastic eighties that they had in
San Francisco, that they may have broken that mold a
little bit. The Lakers with Kobe and Shaq and Magic
(08:35):
and Kareem right probably broke it a little bit. It's
interesting how the West Coast is perceived because of the
time difference, and only because of the time difference. But
the truth of the matter is in the NBA and
now in the NFL, we've got dominant franchises out there,
two from the same division, you guys, and the Niners.
(08:56):
And by the way, the Rams won the Super Bowl
a couple of years ago right in Los Angele Julius.
So really, the only thing is the only difference is
is the time thing. You know, the PAC twelve dismantling
and then rebuild has been a complicated story. But and
the Big Ten now dealing with some carryover from that
(09:16):
conference to it, and the time difference is constantly thrown
out there. So I guess I would say this, and
this is something that's not new to your sports fan
out there, is that you're right the West Coast team
Seahawks right there at the top of that probably don't
get the credit they deserve because so much is tilted
to the east, to the southeast, maybe to the Midwest.
(09:38):
And then after that it's kind of like, well they're
two hours and back, they're three hours and back. And
it does it changes the perception when the games are on.
These are things you talked about for years. It's not
new ground, but I think that adds a little bit
to why maybe teams but that being said, when home
runs started and Pete Carroll continued, now Mike McDonald is
(09:58):
doing that job, those coaches, what that team has done
three Super Bowls since that, you know, since over the
last what ten, eleven, twelve years, like these have been
like some of the best teams in Pro football. And
you're right now now that the ownership thing is going
to get interesting too, quite frankly because of the Allen family,
(10:19):
beginning with Paul and now his sister, Like it is
interesting how a Super Bowl champion, you know, supposedly allegedly
reportedly is up for sale and now will she feels
different afterwards? Who knows, But it looks like that's where
they're trending and and so you know, again just kind
of more of a fluid story than than something that ends.
Speaker 4 (10:41):
A period, right, and that that Jody Allen's story. Paul
Allen and his will had made it clear that upon
his death everything had to be liquidated. The Seahawks, the Blazers,
the yachts, the artwork, everything has to go.
Speaker 5 (10:56):
Now.
Speaker 4 (10:56):
The only question is how long can Jody hang on
to it for? How long does she want to hang
on to it for before she sells the team? And
that is I mean, that's a potentially scary situation because
once the Allens took over, everything changed for this franchise.
And you know, as long as John Schneider's here, you
would think they're in good company. And I would just
ask you this. I mean, you've met and you've known
(11:18):
some of the great executives in the history of the NFL, Right,
I mean you Bobby Bethard, Bill Polly, and Ozzie Newsom,
for example, Where does John Schneider sit for you now,
with two titles, with two different coaches, two totally different rosters,
twelve years apart, where does John Schneider sit on the
list of the all time great executives? In this league.
Speaker 5 (11:39):
Well, I think once you've won two, and you've done
it now with two different coaches, two different quarterbacks, two
different teams, it probably seals them. In my mind. I
think anybody that follows this game knows how difficult it
is to do not with just the same cast every year.
(11:59):
But he's done it now at two different spots in
his career and with two different coaches and two different rosters.
That's hard, that's really really hard. But he's done it,
and I don't think there's any way around it. What
he's done, how he's done it, and what I think
enhances the story. He's a disciple of a guy who's
(12:21):
already in Canton with a Hall of Fame jacket, and
that's Ron Wolf. So if he's not on that road
and just maybe one stop away from his destination, in
my mind, he's already in. He's got a lot left
of him. By the way I mean this is, you
got a young coach and a young quarterback and a
young team for the most part around and the way
(12:43):
he replenishes that roster. Yeah, you may be on chapter
three of a ten chapter book, so listen, I don't
think we're ready to put a period, but rather a comma.
This guy is continuing and he is young enough to
keep going. I had, you know, the kind of respect
I have for him, But that organization now can be
(13:05):
You know how they had the blue bloods in college basketball?
We always talk about Kansas and Carolina and Indiana and
U Cola if you can ye North Carolina. Well, I
if you're going to talk about blue bloods, even though
they're relatively new the team compared to like the Packers
of Affairs, you'd have to put the Seattle Seahawks in
(13:25):
that category with the Niners, Steelers, Cowboys, Packers, you know,
I mean, Chiefs now clearly are in that category. I mean,
it's not more than five six seven teams, and I
don't know how you couldn't include the Seahawks. And modern
day football is one of those teams with what they've done.
Speaker 4 (13:42):
Yeah, Kevin, you mentioned Kenny Walker in the game. He
had one hundred and sixty one total yards MVP. Did
the right guy though, win the MVP? I mean Jason Yeah, yeah, yeah,
yeah jah. Some Myers goes out and sets a record.
Speaker 5 (13:57):
I know, I know it wasn't in a bunch of
fifty yard field goals, but there were field goals he
hit and every extra point he hit. He was spectacular,
and he's going to go down in history. He's set
in the record, and he should. And those field goals
were big. They were, and you can label them or
you put them in any kind of category you want.
(14:18):
But the key to that win, sustaining drives, coming up
with explosive plays, doing what he had to do was Walker.
In my mind, no doubt. Listen, had it been a
defensive game, Christian Gonzalez would have wanted in the secondary
for New England. He was that good. Yeah, he was,
in fact, one of the best defensive backed performances I've
(14:40):
ever seen in the Super Bowl. He was phenomenal. Broke
up three plays in my mind that I can recall
now and probably was on coverage and did other things
and other plays that we're not talking about, but he
was on Jackson, he held him in check, came up
with a couple of plays that were significant earlier in
the game. I can't say enough about his performance, but no,
(15:01):
Walker was the guy. He deserved it. One of the
great running back performances in Super Bowl history. He was
the guy in a winning cause and he deserved it, Kevin.
Speaker 4 (15:13):
I'm just curious. During the game, everybody wants to know,
did you or did you not recognize the streaker on
the field.
Speaker 5 (15:23):
Uh no, I say, I told people I was done
with that stuff, and I'm trying to keep my keep.
I mentioned him, I mentioned him, I said, I said
he would be he was being detained. Because now before
it always kind of felt like kind of a goofy,
fun maybe intoxicated thing that was going on and maybe
(15:46):
without a lot of harm, you know, really, now now
there are prop bets, there are messages and political causes,
and like now it's gotten complicated. So now I'm done
with that. I kind of feel that, like maybe I
did it when it was still kind of a funny,
goofy thing to do and right, but now no, no, no, no, no,
(16:10):
we don't do it anyway. Mentioned it because there's a
stoppage in play and it's got to be mentioned, but
not a lot of detail.
Speaker 4 (16:17):
No, I don't know if you noticed this or not,
but there was one of the security guys on the
field that ran after him that had a hell of
a time getting off the field. I think the guy
may have blown an acl or ripped a ground, he
was stumbling around trying to get back to the sideline.
The whole stadium gave the guy a standing ovation when
he got back. Well, you mentioned that there, Kevin a
(16:38):
few minutes ago. You know the reason why this one
for me is special two reasons. Number one, because you
beat the Patriots who ripped your guts out eleven years ago,
obviously in Arizona. And the thing about that game for me,
and I think I've told you this. I was there
with my wife and my mom and dad had a
chance to go back to back. You leave the stadium thinking, well,
that's it. I'll never get a chance to go back
(17:00):
to back ever again as a fan, And I think
this team has me thinking that they might have a chance.
I mean, obviously Mahomes and Alan Lamar. We'll see what
happens with those guys next season. A lot of parody
in the NFL this year. You said it yourself, chapter
three of a ten chapter book for this Seahawks football team.
(17:22):
Where would you put these guys on the list of
potential repeat winners next season?
Speaker 5 (17:28):
Well, depending on what free agency brings to you, what
free agency costs you, and how they draft see as
a fan, I'm thinking, well, I got the best general
manager who's picking trading, moving signing, letting guys walk. I
got the best guy in the business, So why do
(17:50):
I shit and watch him? And Beach in Kansas City,
maybe Sneid in Los Angeles. I mean, it's a handful
of guys that really stick out, and John maybe at
the top of the list. I'm telling you, I just
think that that I'm you know, so confident in the
way they'll construct it. Yeah, I have no doubt that
the coach and the and the and that uh you know,
(18:10):
personnel group of John's are on the same page, which
is a huge thing. By the way, you can't you
can't have the coaching staff, the head coach in particular,
think in one way, and and then and then the
front office doing something mell So they're they're they're they're
clearly at the hip connected and and and that always
vodes well. So yeah, but but listen, when you think
(18:33):
about what this has been, and you think about what
happened not in the two distant paths, think about the
Buffalo Bills, Think about the Bills with that quarterback. Think
about the Bills and how good they've been in that
division in the a f C. And they've never been
and they've got the quarterback. So when you say, hey,
we got Darnold, this is gonna you take nothing for granted.
(18:56):
And they're saying that in Kansas City after this year,
in a six win season, the quarterback blue as ACL
and a mco Right, I mean, like now a dynasty
that was clearly in place with a second act coming
up in a two act play. Now you're wondering the
quarterback is going to be thirty coming off a blown
knee head coaches sixty six. You know, maybe is a
(19:21):
little bit of fatigue in all parts of the fandom
and maybe in the organization of trying to deal with
a highly paid quarterback, not a lot of cap space,
a lot of guys wanting big money. Maybe taking a
little bit of their pressure off the gas. You know.
Maybe you know you're a different team and that will
be you know, some of the things that Mike has
(19:43):
got a battle. You know, because even though that name
plate says the same name, colors and uniform, number of
the guys that played a couple of days ago in
the Bay Area, it's not the same team. Now they're
higher paid. Now they've got more endorsement. Now they're a champion. Like,
now you've got deal with all the things in defending
a championship, and it's different. You've got an next time
(20:04):
your back, you're the target, You're the biggest game on
everybody's schedule. The World champs are coming into play. So
even you may you may have the same roster, but
you've got a whole different set of circumstances you've got
to deal with. And that becomes that's it, right, That's
that's the game you got to play. And that's what
Mike McDonald is going to go through beginning Monday morning,
(20:24):
and what they're going to face when they go to
the combine and when they go to the draft and
when free agency opens and all these things now take hold.
How do the current winners handle it? What are they
looking for? Can they come back as hungry, you know,
I just as hungry as they were this season? Can
can all these things align again and get them to
where they want to go in LA next February? Right?
Speaker 4 (20:44):
And relatively healthy as well? This year?
Speaker 5 (20:47):
I know, well said, yet nothing nothing catastrophic, right, Like
some teams got the big injury and they couldn't come
back and San Francisco faced that they had a hell
of a season and they played incredibly well, but you
knew that you cannot lose two pillars of your defense
and others along the way. And put I open there.
You can put Deebo, Samuel who left went the can,
(21:09):
put all those names in there. What they were is
not what they became. And it was remarkable of what
they achieved. But eventually it catches up with you. It
always does. It always catches up with you, and it
catched up with San Francisco.
Speaker 4 (21:22):
No, no doubt. Well one of those guys, real quick,
Kenny Walker is a free agent. They can tag him
for about fourteen million for next year. I don't know.
I mean, it's hard to imagine this guy not being
on the team, especially with Sharbonney's injury. How far, real Quick, Kevin,
would you go to keep Kenny Walker on this football
team next year?
Speaker 5 (21:41):
I guess I would. I would definitely take into consideration
the Super Bowl performance because that was his store. But
what these coaches will take into consideration are a variety
of things, and I kid you, not the one thing
that will stand out. He handled the extra load when
Charbonay was injured out, he handled the extra workload, all
(22:04):
those things. But they know how he's wired. They know
the kind of person he is. They know his work habits,
his study habits, how he keeps his body in shape.
What kind of guy he is away from the facility,
what kind of guy he is in the facility. Those
things add up. And if he's checked every box, if
he's the consummate pro, if he's always studied beyond what
(22:27):
is required, is he a great teammate? Like these are
things that will warrant a fourteen million dollar or whatever
he's looking for in his contract, that will that will
dictate almost as much as what he did Sunday in
Santa Clara. I know it sounds weird, but that position,
(22:48):
as we've seen, you can go out and get guys. Now,
he's not a guy. He is a special running back.
But when you're looking at the overall body of your offense,
you've got to consider everything. The importance of the left tackle.
The quarterback is going to be wanting some more down
the road, Smith and Jigba is going to require a
big money thing down the road like you've taken. And
(23:10):
that's what John Man's staff is doing. Probably as we speak,
looking at what you've got coming up next year, what's two,
what's three years down the road? How do we get
this thing to continue on this rail? And that will
have to be discussed on first Blush to say, absolutely,
give him what he wants. But is he the kind
of guy? And we've seen this, not with just running back,
but a lot of positions. When these guys have the
(23:32):
big game, they cash in, they get the money. They're
never Ezekiel Elliott like. I go right on down the
list of guys like, there are hundreds of them that
have the great game, the big season, they get the contract,
and they're they're just like nothing. Right. I don't think
Walker's like that. But I'm not with him every day
in practice. I don't travel with them. I don't watch
(23:53):
them study, I don't watch them practice. I don't know.
Those coaches know, I don't know, don't we don't know.
So they'll make the decision in the right world.
Speaker 4 (24:01):
Well, the only concern is the health. I mean, knock
on Wood was good this year, but for the first
three years it was up and down with him. So
all right, listen, man, great stuff, dude, Great to see
a Friday. Incredible call by you and Curt and company
on Sunday as well. We're gonna be replaying those highlights forever.
We'll probably have to update your open by the way
with some new highlights from from this year. But awesome job,
(24:23):
do it. Love having you on. Go enjoy basketball the
rest of the way and we'll catch up soon. All right.
Speaker 5 (24:29):
Man, Hey, my professional honor to be with you every
week and be on this terrific station and talk to
your great fans. And they're right as McDonald and everybody
else said, what about twelve? How about twelve? Look at
what twelve did for them so long this journey, and
I would agree to talk to that fan base is
a privilege by myself and I look forward to it
(24:52):
every Wednesday when we visit. And hopefully parade was great
and safe for everybody today, yep. And it's just nice
to be with you talking about what was a championship
season for the Seahawks.
Speaker 4 (25:03):
You're the man, great stuff. Love you. We'll talk soon, buddy, Thanks.
Speaker 5 (25:06):
Pal, Gay care, Dave, thank you so so much.
Speaker 4 (25:09):
All right, Kevin Harlan with us the parade mayn what
a sight that was today. We're gonna give you everything
you miss coming up at six pm tonight Baby Right
Here on ninety three three KJRFM
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