Are we on the cusp of a golden era in Seattle sports?

First the Mariners come within a game of reaching their first World Series. Now, the Seattle Seahawks are the top seed in the National Football Conference (NFC) and favored to win their second ever Super Bowl.

But are Seattle sports fans getting their hopes up only to have them dashed by yet another decade of heartache and disappointment?

Not according to Jerry Brewer, senior columnist for The Athletic.

Brewer said both the Mariners and Seahawks are young teams with solid foundations built to give fans plenty to cheer about in the years ahead.

“It’s a whole new era,” Brewer said. “The Mariners are going to chase the World Series for years to come. I don’t think that for the Seahawks this is some isolated thing. I think they’re either going to win or make the Super Bowl this year or their going to chase it for years to come.”

As the No. 1 seed in the National Conference, the Seahawks get the week off before hosting a Divisional Round playoff game on either Jan. 17 or Jan. 18 at Lumen Field.

The Hawks won a record 14 games during the regular season. For those just tuning in during their playoff run, Brewer suggested paying attention to Seattle’s defense, which incorporates more deception than the hard-hitting Legion of Boom that led the team to its first Super Bowl win in 2014.

“This is a defense that is very cerebral,” he said. “They're very good at blurring the picture for the quarterback.”

After confusing the opposing quarterback by not showing their hand before the play starts, the Seahawks are also good at getting after him when he drops back to pass.

“I would argue that they don't have a single superstar on that defense, but what they have are about eight really good players, and everyone who plays in that defense — the starting 11 on through the guys who come in on reserve — they all know their roles,” Brewer said.

Brewer credited the defensive continuity to head coach Mike Macdonald, who took over in Seattle in 2024 after serving for two seasons as the defensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens.

On the offensive side of the ball, the Seahawks are led by quarterback Sam Darnold and star wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who leads the NFL in receiving yards this season at just under 1,800.

Brewer said the Hawks will face a tough road getting to the Super Bowl that will likely include another epic game against the LA Rams — but at least they will have the advantage of playing at home.

“This city is going to be on fire next week,” he said.