As the Seattle Seahawks prepare for their Super Bowl LX showdown with the New England Patriots, the rivalry isn’t just heating up on the field-it’s spilling into the political arena, too. Governors from both states are getting in on the action, and let’s just say, the stakes go beyond bragging rights.
Washington Governor Bob Ferguson and Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey have officially entered the Super Bowl wager zone. The two leaders took to social media this week to lay down the terms of a friendly bet, with regional pride-and local delicacies-on the line.
Healey fired the opening shot in a video message, playfully poking at the Pacific Northwest’s coffee scene while talking up New England’s culinary staples.
“In the unlikely event you win,” Healey teased, “here’s what we’re going to send you: Legal Sea Foods’ famous New England clam chowder and lobster rolls, maybe some East Coast oysters - the best and the only kind. And I hear you don’t have very good coffee out there, so we’re going to throw in some Dunkin’.”
Ferguson, never one to back down from a challenge, accepted the terms with a grin-and a jab of his own.
“If you win, which I, for a moment, do not think is going to happen,” Ferguson said, “we’ll send you some of the best shellfish and coffee in the world.”
And he didn’t stop there. On X (formerly Twitter), Ferguson doubled down on his confidence, tossing in a little hometown swagger.
“You’re on, Governor Healey,” he wrote. “And I can assure you our coffee is world-class.
I'm sorry you won't get the chance to correct your bad information when you lose our bet. I'll still invite you to a local cafe if you want to visit for our victory parade.”
The cross-country banter is all in good fun, but it’s also a reflection of just how much this game means-especially to Seattle. The last time these two teams met on the Super Bowl stage was in 2015, a heartbreaker for the Seahawks, who came up short in a 28-24 loss. That one still stings in the Pacific Northwest, and this weekend’s matchup offers a shot at redemption.
And it’s not just the governors getting in on the fun. Washington House Speaker Laurie Jinkins and Senate Majority Leader Jamie Pedersen are reportedly cooking up a legislative-level wager with their Massachusetts counterparts. Jinkins joked that her caucus had some creative ideas, including one suggestion that, should the Seahawks win, Massachusetts should “ship their tax code to us.”
“Seahawks are going to win,” Jinkins said with confidence.
This season has carried extra meaning for Seattle fans. It’s the franchise’s 50th, and the team kicked things off back in September with a flag-raising ceremony at the state Capitol in Olympia.
Ferguson was there, donning a white Dave Krieg jersey in honor of the former Seahawks quarterback. He was joined by another Seattle legend, cornerback Marcus Trufant, as they raised the Seahawks banner high.
Now, as the team prepares to take the field at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara on February 8 at 3:30 p.m. Pacific, the energy is building-not just in locker rooms and living rooms, but in statehouses, too.
The Seahawks are chasing more than a trophy. They’re chasing a moment. And if they get it, you can bet that coffee, chowder, and a whole lot of civic pride will be exchanged coast to coast.