SAN JOSE – A common enemy made its presence known Monday night when the Seattle Seahawks arrived at the San Jose Convention Center for the opening night of the Super Bowl.
A longtime rival of the 49ers, Seattle previewed its Super Bowl game against the New England Patriots, which will take place at Levi’s Stadium on Sunday.
Amidst the good vibes and subtle jabs at the 49ers, here’s what the Seahawks had to say:
Darnold praises Shanahan, Purdy
Two years ago, Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold was the backup to 49ers’ Brock Purdy as San Francisco reached the Super Bowl in Las Vegas.
Darnold rebuilt his reputation as a struggling quarterback for the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers last season with the Minnesota Vikings and coach Kevin O’Connell, turning what should have been a bridge season into an MVP-level campaign.
Now, the former USC standout is leading his team to the big game.
When asked what he learned from 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan and O’Connell, Darnold credited both of them with getting his career back on track.
“They’re good teachers,” Darnold said. “They know how to teach their offense at the highest level and they know how to help players understand the why behind everything.”
In the two seasons since leaving San Francisco, Darnold has thrown for 8,367 yards and 60 touchdowns.
He also praised Purdy for his growth over the past two years.
“Brock was amazing. I can’t say enough about him, what he taught me,” Darnold said. “I learned a lot from him, his study habits and what he did in the field. Brock was really good to learn that year when I was with him in San Francisco.”
Mack Hollins wears a tinfoil hat
The 49ers power station theory has gotten more media attention than it should have.
But when Seahawks wide receiver Mack Hollins — a player infamous for his unusual health and fitness habits — was asked about the idea, he was more than happy to share his thoughts.
“There has to be some consistency,” Hollins said. “If they have a very high injury – and I don’t know if they do or not – it must be something. Whether it’s that or the EMF (electromagnetic fields) stuff, they have to find out what it is. If there is some kind of difference between them and all the other groups, then there must be a reason for that.
“If it’s EMF, it’s going to be hard for all the headphone companies, they’re going to get sick to their stomachs.”
When asked if he would like the team to take a closer look at being with the 49ers, Hollins said, “If I was on the team, I’d want them to do all kinds of things. I’d like the restaurant to have grass-fed beef. I’d like the stadium to be grass.”
Sweet victory
While winning the Super Bowl will be enough satisfaction for the Seahawks, hoisting the Lombardi Trophy at Levi’s Stadium will be the cherry on top of the sundae.
“It would be a big time to win one at Levi’s Stadium,” said linebacker Ernest Jones IV, who played for the Los Angeles Rams. “I want to win, but when you’re talking about the rivals and the NFC West, winning on the opponent’s field would be great.”
Zabel in his farm days
Gray Zabel has a unique background as an NFL player.
The offensive lineman grew up on a farm near Pierre, South Dakota, and attended college at North Dakota State. Thus, his childhood was marked by some activities atypical for many athletes.
“Picking stones,” Zabel said of his favorite childhood activities. “Pulling weeds, and sweeping outside the store. About three things that prepared me this time. Three things I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy to do. But you get into trouble, that was your day’s work, which made for a very long day. So I can say those three things.”
For the record, Zabel said his “favorite activities” were harvesting corn and planting.
Reed is talking wars with the 49ers
Seattle defensive tackle Jarran Reed has seen plenty of action from the 49ers since entering the NFL in 2016.
He faced teams that went to the Super Bowl and played the Niners at least twice a year — sometimes three times, like this season, if the playoffs were high.
So as he prepares to sit in San Francisco’s locker room for Super Bowl Sunday, he’s gained a deep respect for the 49ers and their nine-season rivalry with the Bay Area and Seattle.
“It’s always a good game,” Reed said. “Guys, they’re a great team every year. It’s always bad. I’ve been playing with them my whole career. So coming in here, it’s actually comfortable. We know the field. We know the field. We know what to expect.”
Reed’s performance against the 49ers helped Seattle reach the Super Bowl this season. His 8-yard sack of Brock Purdy in the final week of the regular season helped give the Seahawks home field advantage in every playoff game and paved the way for their run to the title game.
