Mike Macdonald casts vote for permanent 12th Man Flag raiser Seattle fans will love

Even though he isn't consulted, the Seahawks HC has one Seattle legend he'd like to see raise the flag.

Aug 25, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners former outfielder Ken Griffey, Jr., right, poses for a photo with Seattle Seahawks former cornerback Richard Sherman, left, after delivering the ceremonial first pitch ball to Sherman before a game against the Kansas City Royals at T-Mobile Park. | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

For the first time since retiring in 2019, former Seattle Seahawks legend Doug Baldwin raised the 12th Man Flag at Lumen Field ahead of the team's 41-6 thumping of the San Francisco 49ers in the Divisional Round on Saturday.

It was the first Seahawks home playoff game with fans in the stands since 2016. The franchise pulled out all its tricks, also bringing in Legion of Boom legendary safety Kam Chancellor to lead a "SEA-HAWKS" chant before the game.

Both Baldwin and Chancellor were still on the team the last time the Seahawks hosted a playoff game with fans. That made them the perfect duo to get Lumen Field rocking.

“Kam [Chancellor] was awesome before the game,” Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald told Seattle Sports 710AM on his weekly Monday radio show. “Shoot, he was getting me fired up. That was sweet. Having Doug [Baldwin] raise the flag was awesome.”

Dec 23, 2018; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Doug Baldwin (89) during warmups prior to the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at CenturyLink Field. | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

While Macdonald loved the pre-game festivities, he had a unique opinion on who should be the franchise's permanent 12th Man Flag raiser

“For the record, I’m not consulted on who [raises the flag],” Macdonald added. They probably don’t want me consulting it. Ken Griffey would probably raise it every day.”

Griffey, a legendary Seattle Mariners center fielder and MLB Hall of Famer, raised the 12th Man Flag back in 2009 when he returned to the Mariners late in his career after eight years away. Still, it's an option that avid Mariners fans in the area would likely welcome every week.

Though it's often been Seahawks legends that have raised the flag this season, Seattle-area sports legends are generally part of the mix. Bringing Griffey back at least one more time doesn't seem like a foregone conclusion.

Macdonald, though, might have to pull some strings to make it happen.

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