Rashid Shaheed’s Super Bowl Journey Comes With a Side of Crawfish Cravings
As Rashid Shaheed gears up for the biggest game of his career-Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara-his mind is drifting somewhere far from the playbook, the press conferences, and the pristine practice fields. It’s drifting back to New Orleans. Not to the film room or the locker room, but to a plate piled high with crawfish and a warm bag of beignets dusted in powdered sugar.
Yes, Shaheed is laser-focused on helping the Seahawks chase a Lombardi Trophy. But when he spoke to reporters this week, he couldn’t help but admit what he’s really missing: the food, the people, and the feeling of being home in the Crescent City.
For a player who went undrafted out of Weber State and carved out a role in New Orleans through sheer grit and explosiveness, this isn’t just about food-it’s about belonging.
More Than a Meal, It’s a Memory
When Shaheed talks about missing the flavors of New Orleans, it’s not just about taste buds. It’s about connection.
The city embraced him from the jump, not just as a player, but as one of their own. In New Orleans, food isn’t just sustenance-it’s culture, it’s community, it’s love served on a plate.
So when Shaheed says he misses crawfish and beignets, he’s really saying he misses the warmth of a city that rooted for him when few others did. That kind of bond doesn’t fade with a mid-season trade. If anything, it lingers-like the smell of a good gumbo on a humid Louisiana night.
A Tale of Two Coasts
Seattle may have its own culinary gems-Dungeness crab, fresh oysters, and a coffee scene that could fuel an entire offense-but it’s not the Big Easy. And for a guy who got used to spicy boils and powdered sugar mornings, the adjustment is real.
There’s a reason Shaheed’s comments hit home. The November trade that sent him to Seattle was a gut punch for Saints fans.
He wasn’t just a return specialist or a deep threat-he was a spark. One of those rare players who made the Superdome buzz every time he touched the ball.
Now, he’s doing the same in Seattle, leading the league in return touchdowns and helping the Seahawks punch their ticket to the Super Bowl. But even as he prepares for the biggest stage in football, he’s still looking back with gratitude-and maybe a little hunger.
“I miss the crawfish, I miss the beignets, I miss the people... I miss the hospitality.” Rashid Shaheed, via LockOn Sports with Ross Jackson
Hungry for More Than a Ring
There’s something poetic about it all. Shaheed is, quite literally, hungry for New Orleans.
But he’s also the hungriest player on the field right now. That same hunger that helped him beat the odds as an undrafted rookie is now fueling a Super Bowl run.
If he breaks loose for one of his trademark returns on Sunday-those 90-yard sprints that leave defenders gasping and fans roaring-you can bet folks in the French Quarter will be watching. And cheering. And maybe raising a beignet in his honor.
Because while he may be wearing Seahawks green these days, Rashid Shaheed’s heart-and let’s be honest, his stomach-is still back in the 504.
A City That Leaves a Mark
In a league where trades happen fast and loyalty is often a one-way street, Shaheed’s open affection for New Orleans is a reminder of something deeper. Cities leave marks on players. And sometimes, those marks are made in the kitchen as much as on the field.
The Super Bowl is a national stage, but for Rashid Shaheed, it’s also a chance to show just how far the love of one city can carry you-even when you're miles away, chasing a ring, and dreaming of crawfish.