SI

Seahawks, 49ers GMs Both Had On-Camera Moments They'd Like to Forget Thanks to ESPN

You never know when the camera’s going to cut to you.

Tyler Lauletta

49ers GM John Lynch and Seahawks GM John Schneider watch a game from the box seats.
49ers GM John Lynch and Seahawks GM John Schneider watch a game from the box seats. / ESPN
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There was plenty on the line when the Seahawks and the 49ers met on Saturday night, with the NFC West rivals battling for not only the division title but for the No. 1 seed in the NFC and a first-round bye in the playoffs.

If you weren’t aware of how high the stakes were, one shot of each teams’ respective general manager watching from the box seats made the intensity pretty clear.

First, it was San Francisco GM John Lynch who earned some attention. After the 49ers defense forced the Seahawks into a third-and-17, it looked as though they’d be able to get off the field and hopefully begin to mount their comeback. Instead, running back Kenneth Walker took a quick toss and somehow broke free for 19 yards and the most unlikely first down of the game.

After the play, ESPN cut to a reaction shot of Lynch, and caught him going full surrender cobra out of frustration.

Just a few minutes later, it was Seahawks general manager John Schneider in the spotlight. The 49ers were driving once again, this time in the red zone, looking to cut into the Seattle lead. A Brock Purdy pass to Christian McCaffrey got tipped at the line, and after a bobble through McCaffrey’s hands, wound up as an interception to Seahawks linebacker Drake Thomas.

In his box, Schneider raised his arms in celebration, revealing some impressive sweat stains.

Fans online had a bit of fun at his expense.

It was Schneider who would get the last laugh though, as the Seahawks held on to beat the 49ers 13–3, becoming division champions and earning themselves a first-round bye in the playoffs in the process.

And in case he was in need of a fresh shirt, the Seahawks are undoubtedly donning new “NFC West Champions” gear tonight, so Schneider has that covered too.

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Tyler Lauletta
TYLER LAULETTA

Tyler Lauletta is a staff writer for the Breaking and Trending News Team/team at Sports Illustrated. Before joining SI, he covered sports for nearly a decade at Business Insider, and helped design and launch the OffBall newsletter. He is a graduate of Temple University in Philadelphia, and remains an Eagles and Phillies sicko. When not watching or blogging about sports, Tyler can be found scratching his dog behind the ears.

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