Seattle facing potential distractions ahead of Super Bowl

Ahead of the Seattle Seahawk's biggest game in over 11 years, the franchise is seeing the distractions piling up just days before Super Bowl LX against the New England Patriots. 

Late last week, a new report by ESPN’s Seth Wickersham claimed that the Seahawks will be going up for sale following the Super Bowl. According to Wickersham, conversations surrounding the sale have been going on within ownership and league levels for the past week. When former owner Paul Allen died in 2018, his will detailed a directive for his sister, Jody Allen, to sell the Seahawks as well as the NBA’s Portland Trailblazers and donate the proceeds to charity. 

If the franchise is put up for sale following Sunday’s game it would be the first time in the league’s history that a team is put up for sale following a Super Bowl appearance. The Seahawks are estimated to be sold for roughly $7-8 billion. 

"We've already said that will change at some point per Paul's wishes, but I have no news to share," a spokesperson from Allen’s estate wrote in a statement. "Our focus right now is winning the Super Bowl and completing the sale of the Portland Trail Blazers in the coming months.

“The team is not for sale.” 

There have been some rumblings that the Patriots could have leaked the report in order to cause some chaos inside the organization. Former Seattle quarterback and Seattle Sports radio analyst Brock Huard believes there could be something nefarious occurring. 

“Well, well, well, the NFL team that goes to any length to play games on and off the field,” wrote Huard. ““No question in my mind the Krafts (or friends) let media know the Hawks would be up for sale. A tactic and ploy the Patriots would use to try and create distraction. Anyone surprised?”

There has been no substantiated reports that back up Huard’s claim, and if it was true, it ultimately would be a sign of gamesmanship from the Patriots organization — who has handled their fair share of Super Bowl week controversies. 

Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio joined Felger and Mazz on Monday to discuss the potential of the Patriots leaking the news of the sale.

"I think if the Patriots are going to float it, they would have floated it (this) Friday," Florio said. "It would have been some point, possibly Friday going into the game, to create maximum turmoil."

In what may be an even bigger distraction for this week particularly, Seattle's offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak is expected to be named the new head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders on Feb. 9. According to league rules, Kubiak can’t sign any official contract until following Sunday’s game. 

Kubiak has been a busy man during the Super Bowl bye week, interviewing with six different organizations for their head coaching opportunities, including two conversations with the Raiders and Cardinals. Ultimately it appears set in stone that Seattle’s playcaller will be heading to Sin City to join minority owner Tom Brady. 

It’s hard to imagine that Kubiak would have been fully locked in on Seattle and installing a gameplan while also interviewing eight different times for a job that would change his life. Meanwhile neither of the Patriots coordinators — Josh McDaniels or Zak Kuhr — have taken a head coach interview during the bye week. 

In 2018, prior to the Patriots and Eagles Super Bowl, McDaniels seemed destined to take a head coaching job. New England would go on to lose that game 41-33, but Tom Brady and the offense gained well over 500 yards. 

It remains to be seen how Seattle and second-year head coach Mike McDonald will handle the inevitable noise heading into the Super Bowl, and if Kubiak’s job search proves to be a distraction for his quarterback Sam Darnold and the offense.