The Sound of the Seahawks Provides Unprecedented Backstage Access For 12s
Since the 2022 NFL Draft took place in late April, the Seahawks have slowly been pulling back the curtains on what goes on behind the scenes at the VMAC. It started with reporter John Boyle’s excellent article on the Seahawks website that gave readers an in-depth look inside the draft war room during the first and second days of the draft. Now, a new docuseries offers video of interactions and interviews with staff and team members rarely offered to Seahawks fans in the past.
The first episode of The Sound of the Seahawks, titled "Fresh Seattle Air," presents the period from about a week before the draft through the team's rookie minicamp. It begins with the pre-draft press conference from John Schneider and Pete Carroll, transitioning to some of the final draft prep discussions inside the war room. The footage is careful not to reveal anything specific like the team’s big board for the 2022 NFL Draft and you can bet that the front office vetted everything before it was released.
Still, there were some interesting, somewhat revealing nuggets, including former Seahawks guard and current front office member Steve Hutchinson speaking about the offensive line prospects. At one point, Hutchinson can be caught saying, “...He’s a local kid. His dream, probably since he was a little kid, was to play for the Seahawks." Was this referencing tackle Abraham Lucas? Considering he played high school football in Everett and starred at Washington State, that seems quite likely.
The first episode then shifts to the first day of the NFL Draft, including some footage of team chair Jody Allen talking with Carroll and Schneider. We saw pictures of her in the draft room and both Carroll and Schneider praised her for her involvement at press conferences, but there were still some questions about how involved she actually was. Allen seemed to be right in there with everyone in the war room, which was great to see since she stayed mostly in the shadows for the past few years.
Coverage of the actual draft was a mix of new footage and some that was already released, including the calls to the players. Schneider was literally sweating out Atlanta's pick hoping Charles Cross would remain available, and the whole room lit up with Drake London being selected eighth overall. Video of the second day of the draft was highlighted by the stressful scenario trying to connect with Ken Walker III on the phone before the pick. It was mentioned at some point that they couldn’t get through to him right away, but I think that was an understatement. The time on the clock for the pick No. 41 was under three minutes and Carroll was talking about having to pick him blind.
The nervousness was clearly etched on Schneider's face as two separate staffers were calling different numbers trying to reach Walker. Relief washed over him when the Doak Walker Award winner finally picked up with around a minute and a half left on the clock. During the call, Schneider told Walker “I’m glad you answered your phone, shoot!"
The final part of the debut episode focused on the rookies arriving in Seattle, receiving their equipment, and participating in the rookie minicamp. The beginning of the pivotal first rookie meeting was shown with Carroll's “It’s All About the Ball” mantra kicking it off. Second-round pick Boye Mafe was mic’d up, so footage of that was included and showed his infectious personality. The cliffhanger ending was Clint Hurtt starting an interview with the promise of a second episode.
If you’re a Seahawks fan, this docuseries is must-see television – and possibly could be worth a rewatch or two. Rarely is the public allowed this level of behind-the-scenes access, though that seems to be changing in the NFL landscape with teams creating their own content. That’s excellent news for fans and hopefully the wait for the next episode won’t be dragged out too long.
Watch the entire first episode here.
