The league has taken notice of Seahawks’ lack of home-field advantage

You heard it early on Sunday.

“Go Pack Go!”

This wasn’t during a late drive in the second half or even after a touchdown. It also wasn’t a surge of fans chanting at Lambeau Field. This was Green Bay Packers fans starting an early chant during a Seattle Seahawks home game.

What’s happened to Seattle Seahawks’ home-field advantage?

Former Packers star Aaron Rodgers couldn’t believe it. He’s played a few memorable matchups at Seattle’s Lumen Field – then CenturyLink Field – including the 2014 NFC Championship game, but even for those stellar Packers teams, Green Bay fans didn’t travel like they did for this game.

During his Tuesday appearance on ESPN’s Pat McAfee Show, the current Jets quarterback reacted to the scene.

"I couldn't believe how many Packers fans were in Seattle on Sunday night..

I heard a Go Pack Go chant in the 2nd quarter when the Packers were on offense..

Seattle never used to be like that so shoutout to the Seahawks fans for selling their tickets"@AaronRodgers12 #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/40WEgxRg3X

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) December 17, 2024

“That never happened back in the day,” Rodgers said. “I heard a ‘Go Pack Go’ chant in like the second quarter, it was 7-0 Packers. And I was like, ‘What in the (heck) is going on?’ That was the wildest thing ever. And the Packers were on offense.

“(Packers fans) always travel well. But Seattle was never – I mean, it sounded like it was 60/40 Seattle fans, maybe 70/30, but even that would be wild for that stadium. Never in all the years we played there did we ever have any presence that was remotely close to that. So shoutout to Seattle fans for selling their tickets to the Packer fans.”

😂😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/NqtrwdN6cy

— ᴅᴏxx ⚡️ (@new_era72) December 16, 2024

It’s one thing to see fans of divisional teams travel well. Seahawks fans have always flocked to Cardinals’ matchups in Glendale, and 49ers fans have traveled well to Seattle and Los Angeles. In fact, back in 2022, the Rams even altered their ticket policy to keep San Francisco fans from taking home-field advantage away in a conference title game.

But this feels different. So much so that opponents (and former opponents) have noticed, including Bills head coach Sean McDermott. When Buffalo visited Seattle in Week 8 and walked away the victor, the head coach noted something about the stadium afterwards: audible cheers from thousands of Bills fans.

“Did you hear them out there?” McDermott told reporters postgame. “I’ve never heard this place like that in all my years in the NFL. Been out here a number of years, I’ve never heard that.”

Nor have I. I’ve been covering this team since 2015 and have seen visiting teams travel well – the Packers are one of them, but so too are the Broncos, 49ers and Cowboys. I’ve seen ugly home losses and primetime matchups. But Sunday night was one of the first games I can remember hearing chants for the visiting team, and it certainly does feel like this season has brought more visiting fans than ever before to Lumen Field – most notably to season-ticket holder sections.

We’ve been talking about it on Bump and Stacy for a few days now, and I’ve heard everything. One listener explained that the season-ticket holders in their section have all sold their tickets, so the experience isn’t the same and they rarely go. Another said ticket holders are incentivized to re-sell through the NFL’s official ticket exchange, making it easier for opposing fans to snatch them up. Yet others lament the increasing costs of attending games or the Seahawks’ less-than-stellar home record.

Whatever the reason, the Seahawks’ once formidable home field advantage seems to have slipped — and the league is taking notice.

More on the Seattle Seahawks

• Bump: How Seahawks can get DK Metcalf going again
• Seahawks make moves, freeing up a roster spot
• Seahawks CB Riq Woolen’s inconsistent play ‘hard to explain’
• Seahawks Check-In: Seattle looks to regroup after good Geno news
• Breaking down Seattle Seahawks’ NFC West title and playoff odds

Follow @stacyrost