DK Metcalf can be somewhat of a divisive figure among Seattle Seahawks fans. The issue seems to be one of pettiness, though. There should be no doubt as to the wide receiver's drive to want to play and play well. He has missed just three games in his six-year career. If there is any way he can play, he will.
Still, while he has not gotten as many unnecessary 15-yard penalties for unsportsmanlike conduct and others of that ilk in 2024, some 12s will not ever see past the fact that the receiver has had far too many of those in his career. At times, he has appeared on the verge of getting into a fight, seemingly unable to control his emotions. This year, he has been far calmer.
But Metcalf is unhappy about one important aspect, and that is the fault of some 12s. In Week 8, when the Buffalo Bills visited Lumen Field in an absolute beat-down of the Seahawks, Bills mafia looked as if they were a third of the fans at the stadium. That did not leave much room for 12s to help create a home-field advantage.
DK Metcalf not happy with how loud Seattle Seahawks fans are at Lumen Field
The same thing happened in Week 15 against the Green Bay Packers. Cheeseheads came to Seattle expecting to win and also make Seattle's home stadium and adjunct to Lambeau Field. They were not far off from doing that either.
Sure, it helped that the Packers dominated the game from start to finish and 12s did not have a lot to cheer for throughout most of the game, but even from the beginning and before the Packers scored their first touchdown, Metcalf noticed a lot of the noise from the stands was not from Seahawks fans. Instead, much of the volume came from Packers fans.
When speaking to the media this week, Metcalf said, "Wishing the 12s didn't sell as many tickets as they did to make sure we kept the home-field advantage" after saying how much noise the Green Bay fans were making on the first few plays of the game.
He is not wrong.
There used to be a time not long ago when opposing teams might have a fear of playing Seattle at Lumen Field (or whatever it was called at the time of any specific game). 12s were loud and definitely had an effect on how efficiently opposing teams' offenses could run their plays. If they could not hear any potential audibles, that kept them a bit more one-dimensional.
But let's be real. Tickets are expensive for sporting events. If a season ticket holder needs to sell their seat then that is their right, of course. The hope would be they sell it to another Seahawks fan, however, and not a fan of another team.
And who knows? If Metcalf, whose contract is up after 2025, feels as if 12s might not love the Seahawks as much as they once did, and he decides to go elsewhere in free agency to a team such as the Packers or Bills, that would be no fun. Seattle needs Metcalf and 12s should hope Metcalf wants the Seahawks.