Patriots' pre-game gesture is meant as a smack in the face to Seahawks fans

The Seattle Seahawks will travel across the country this weekend to play the New England Patriots in Foxborough, MA in Week 2 of the 2024 regular season. Since 2010 when Pete Carroll became the head coach, the teams have met four times and Seattle has won three of those matchups. As 12s all know, though, the one Carroll and the Seahawks lost was the worst-case possible.

That was Super Bowl XLIX at the end of the 2014 season when Seattle was going for its second straight championship and had a chance to take the lead with less than a minute remaining. Seattle miraculously was able to get the ball down to the Patriots' one-yard line and instead of handing the ball to Marshawn Lynch, quarterback Russell Wilson threw the ball and it was intercepted by Malcolm Butler.

In an attempt to slight the Seahawks further, New England has asked Butler to perform something called the Keeper of the Light duties ahead of Seattle and New England's Week 2 game. Whatever the Keeper of the Light is is something I am not sure, but it's likely akin to the raising of the 12th Man flag before the beginning of every Seattle home game. It's tradition and it's important.

Patriots are doing Seahawks dirty with special guest in Week 2

Sure, the Patriots could have chosen nearly any other player to perform the pre-game duties, but what is the fun in that? New England has to prove their sense of humor and what better way than to throw some dirt in Seattle's faces, one might guess. Is it good gamesmanship? Nope, and that is the point.

(Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.)

The fun part comes if Seattle, which, according to FanDuel, is a 3.5-point favorite heading into Foxborough, can get a bit of revenge against the Patriots by having Butler present to remind 12s of Super Bowl XLIX. The Patriots have a good defense but not a great offense. Seattle's offense started slowly in Week 1 but could be ready to explode in Week 2.

Plus, New England having Butler do pre-game activities is more of a slap in the face to Seahawks fans. Pete Carroll is no longer around. Russell Wilson, Marshawn Lynch, and any other Seattle player are not. This makes the Patriots' gesture even more rude.

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