A surprising Pete Carroll rumor made the rounds just hours before the Seattle Seahawks host the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Divisional Round on Saturday, Jan. 17 at Lumen Field.
During a recent Locked On Seahawks discussion, former Seahawks running back Robert “Turbo” Turbin indicated Carroll would be the one raising Seattle’s “12 Flag” before kickoff, then immediately appeared to walk it back once the other hosts reacted like it wasn’t public information. The entire exchange happens around the end of the episode.
It’s a classic Seahawks-week storyline: huge rivalry game, a massive crowd moment, and suddenly a “wait… is that actually happening?” rumor that fans can’t stop talking about.
Pete Carroll “12 Flag” Talk Starts, Then Gets Awkward Fast
Turbin framed the Carroll flag-raising idea as “the most important thing” from the show, but the vibe shifted quickly when the rest of the panel didn’t seem to have any confirmation.
One host said the only “reports” he’d seen were basically “AI things on Facebook,” and asked Turbin point-blank if he was officially confirming it.
That’s when Turbin tried to tap the brakes.
In the exchange, Turbin essentially retracted, suggesting he might have said too much or jumped ahead of anything official: “Never mind… I retract,” while joking that if it doesn’t happen, he’ll look ridiculous.
Corbin Smith, meanwhile, leaned into the idea and argued it wouldn’t be “too soon” for Carroll to be welcomed back, especially if Carroll is supportive of current head coach Mike Macdonald and the direction of the team.
Bottom line: As of Saturday, Jan. 17, this is still floating as rumor/speculation rather than a formal announcement from the team.
Other fans on X also claimed to have heard that Pete Carroll was raising the flag, throwing more fuel on the rumor’s fire.
Heavy has not confirmed if Carroll will officially be raising the 12th Man Flag.
Why This Would Be A Huge Moment for Seahawks Fans
If Carroll really did raise the 12 Flag, it wouldn’t just be a cute pregame cameo. It would be a full-volume, stadium-shaking “Seattle is back in playoff mode” moment, against the Seahawks’ biggest rival.
The 12 Flag tradition is one of the Seahawks’ signature home-field rituals, and the team has been leaning hard into it during this playoff build-up. The Seahawks even had franchise legends Walter Jones and Lofa Tatupu raise a 12 Flag at the Space Needle for Blue Friday heading into the game.
That’s why the Carroll angle hits different: he’s still tied to Seattle’s best era, and bringing him into the pregame ceremony against the 49ers would instantly crank the emotion (and the noise) up another level.
Turbin even joked Carroll “better bring some good vibes” — not “I got fired vibes” — which is basically the perfect summary of how split Seahawks fans can be on Carroll nostalgia vs. the new era.
Game Details, Stakes, and Why the Timing Matters
This isn’t some random regular-season home date. Seattle and San Francisco are meeting in the NFC Divisional Round at Lumen Field on Saturday, Jan. 17.
A few quick context points that add to the urgency:
- The game is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. PT in Seattle.
- 49ers (12-5) at Seahawks (14-3), with Seattle hosting as the top seed.
- If you’re looking for official broadcast/stream info from the 49ers’ side, the team site posted its “Ways to Watch and Listen” entry for the matchup.
So if the Seahawks wanted to go for maximum “Lumen Field is a problem” energy, a Carroll flag-raise would absolutely fit the moment, even if the only “confirmation” so far is a very nervous Turbin trying not to get caught breaking news that might not be real.
One thing to watch: Seahawks.com has been publishing Divisional Round week content and events, so if the flag-raiser is formally announced, it would likely surface through team channels close to kickoff.
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This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
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