A tense night at Lumen Field took an ugly turn in the stands Wednesday, and the mess ended with a Patriots fan in handcuffs.
The trouble flared during the season opener between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots, when a fight broke out in section 314. According to the account, a Patriots fan tried to sit in empty seats that belonged to other spectators.
When the rightful seat holders came back, he allegedly refused to move and started jawing at the people around him. Stadium ushers were brought in before things got worse, but the situation escalated fast.
The confrontation turned physical when the fan ran into and knocked over an elderly staff member. Video from the scene showed the chaos spilling through the row, with one person nearly tumbling over the stadium railing. Fans nearby watched as punches flew and bodies piled on top of one another, while the incident briefly stole attention from the game on the field.
Security personnel and police officers eventually moved in and took control of the section. By the end of it, the Patriots fan was in handcuffs.
The game itself ended with Seattle pulling out a 13-10 win. Drew Lock, who entered after a Sam Darnold injury, sparked the comeback with a 45-yard touchdown strike to Jaxon Smith-Njigba in the fourth quarter.
Seattle’s defense then slammed the door, keeping New England quiet down the stretch. Drake Maye spent much of the night under pressure and threw three interceptions.
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