Emmy-winning TV host Ross Mathews, a Mount Vernon native, says the Seattle Seahawks’ current run feels special after a season many didn’t see coming, he told KIRO 7 News.
Mathews, now a co-host and producer on The Drew Barrymore Show and a judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race, said his connection to the Seahawks goes back to his childhood in Skagit County, where football became a rare point of connection for his family.
“I grew up in Mount Vernon, Washington, and my whole family have been Seahawks fans forever,” Mathews said. “My blood has always run blue and green.”
Mathews said he still watches every Seahawks game, even when work keeps him away from home.
“I don’t miss a second of the Seahawks,” he said, adding that he has streamed games while traveling and even while working red carpets.
His favorite players span generations, from Steve Largent and Jim Zorn to more recent eras of the team.
“I like old school,” Mathews said.
This season, Mathews said, stands out because expectations were low outside the Pacific Northwest.
He pointed to national coverage that overlooked Seattle’s success and said the team’s division title felt significant.
“No one was paying attention,” Mathews said. “That’s why this season, no matter what happens, it feels special because it was unexpected.”
Mathews said he believes the strength of the division added weight to the Seahawks’ performance.
“Winning that division was monumental,” he said.
He also praised the team’s direction under head coach Mike Macdonald, calling the transition from Pete Carroll emotional but ultimately energizing.
“I fell in love with Mike Macdonald right away,” Mathews said. “It feels like a brand-new generation of Seahawks.”
Mathews said he has felt growing national support for Seattle, even while living and working in New York.
He noted hearing cheers and reactions from studio audiences and on social media when he talks about the Seahawks.
“The Seahawks feel fresh,” Mathews said. “They feel hungry.”
Although he does not attend games often, Mathews said some of his most memorable experiences include attending the NFC championship game that sent Seattle to the Super Bowl and raising the 12s flag at the 2023 season opener.
“Moments I’ll never forget,” he said.
Mathews said he plans to celebrate the Super Bowl with family, a homemade pizza party and a signature drink he jokingly calls “the 12th Man.”
“Win or lose, thank you, Seahawks, for a great season,” Mathews said. “It’s been a total joy.”
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