Seattle Seahawks fans are some of the loudest in sport and are often referred to as the 12th Man.
Seahawks fans have become of of the most iconic and recognizable in the NFL, but how did Seattle fans come to be known as the 12th Man?
Why Are Seattle Seahawks Fans Called the 12th Man?
The 12th Man is the name given to the Seahawks fans for their outstanding support of their team. The fans are some of the most passionate, loyal, and deafening fans in all of sports. It has led to the 12th Man becoming the stuff of legend.
They are called the 12th Man because the crowd so often makes a difference for Seattle. A football game is 11-on-11, so the 12th Man is a throw to the difference the crowd can make. It feels like the Seahawks have a man advantage on the field.
Seattle says this about the 12th Man: “Seahawks fans might cheer from the sidelines, but on the field, they give the Seahawks a 12 on 11 advantage every play for every yard. The impact of their loud and relentless support has become a Northwest tradition. They are the 12s.”
The 12s mean so much to the Seahawks as a franchise that they even retired the jersey number in 1984.
Where Did the 12th Man Originate
Seattle didn’t invent the 12th Man, however. The history of the 12th Man being used goes back to Texas A&M in 1921.
Texas A&M was going through a difficult season, stacked with injuries and about to face a stellar Centre College team. The injuries for A&M got so bad that if another player were to get injured, they would not have a backup to take the field.
Those events led to a student, E. King Gill, being called from the stands to become ready to take the field if necessary.
Gill never went on to the field, but A&M went on to win the game 24-22, and the phenomenon of the 12th Man began.
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Texas A&M holds the rights to the trademark of “12th Man,” and the Seahawks had to enter a licensing deal with the school.
Several other NFL teams have also used the 12th Man, including the Buffalo Bills. However, the 12th Man has become synonymous with Seahawk fans, who can claim to be the most famous and loudest of all 12s.
The Noise of the 12th Man
The 12th Man is seen as having a huge advantage for Seattle. The Seahawks even raise a 12th Man flag before every home game. While Seattle can’t claim to have created the 12th Man, it can be labeled the city that has taken what it means to be the 12th Man to the next level.
The 12th Man is known for creating a ridiculous amount of noise. Back in 2013, they broke the Guinness World Record for the loudest crowd roar at a sports stadium. During their Monday Night Football matchup at Century Link Field with the New Orleans Saints, Seahawk fans raised a thunderous 137.6 decibels.
That is louder than the loudest rock concert ever recorded, a gunshot from close range, and a jet taking off from 100 meters away.
It was even enough for The Pacific Northwest Seismic Network to measure a minor earthquake.
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