Matt Calkins: Mike Macdonald's quote after reaching Super Bowl adds to Seahawks lore

Matt Calkins, The Seattle Times on Jan 29, 2026

Published in Football

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SEATTLE — “We. Did. Not. Care.”

It wasn’t the words so much as the delivery.

When Fox Sports analyst Michael Strahan asked Mike Macdonald how he felt about being an afterthought to the 49ers and Rams before the season started, the Seahawks coach gave that iconic four-word response after his team won the NFC championship on Sunday night. Had he just said, “Eh, we didn’t really care,” it wouldn’t have landed with the same weight. But with that rhythm? That pause after the answer? It could go down as one of the great Seahawks gems of all time.

That said … the man does have competition. There have been other classics dropped by members of this organization — some in celebration, some in frustration, and some in pure defiance. But whatever the motivation for the lines, they’ve stuck.

Here’s a top ranking of the most memorable Seahawks quotes that Macdonald has to contend with.

5. Matt Hasselbeck, 2004

“We want the ball, and we’re gonna score.”

This would have been higher if Seattle had won the game, but it still resonates. In a wild-card matchup with the Packers 22 years ago, the Seahawks quarterback made a prediction after winning the coin toss before overtime. The line got a chuckle from color commentator Cris Collinsworth, but it was the Packers who got the last laugh after cornerback Al Harris intercepted a Hasselbeck pass and returned it for a game-winning touchdown.

4. Mike Holmgren, 2006

“We knew it was going to be tough going against the Steelers, but I didn’t know we’d have to play the guys in the striped shirts as well.”

To many, the Seahawks’ first trip to the Super Bowl didn’t feel like a loss so much as a heist. There was an offensive-pass-interference call against wide receiver Darrell Jackson in the first quarter that wiped out a touchdown, which would have put the Seahawks up 10-0. There was a Ben Roethlisberger touchdown on a scramble in which he didn’t appear to cross the plane of the goal line. There was a suspect holding call on the Seahawks’ Sean Locklear in the third quarter that negated a long pass to Jerramy Stevens that was caught on the 1-yard line. And there was a low-block call on Hasselbeck after an interception that extended a Steelers drive and resulted in a touchdown.

Even referee Bill Leavy admitted that he “kicked two calls” in the fourth quarter of that game. Holmgren wasn’t just speaking for himself or his players — but for Seahawks fans everywhere.

3. Ernest Jones IV, 2025

“If you got anything to say, quite frankly, (bleep) you.”

Recency bias kicking in? I don’t think so. Jones’ defense of Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold after his four-interception game in a loss vs. the Rams was an instant classic. Darnold’s reputation for stumbling in big games had hit its zenith, but his Pro Bowl linebacker made it a point to tell his critics to zip it.

Guess what? The Seahawks haven’t lost since — and Sam has been brilliant.

2. Richard Sherman, 2015

“I’m the best corner in the game. When you try me with a sorry receiver like (Michael) Crabtree, that’s the result you’re gonna get.”

For most of his career, Sherman was actually one of the more approachable, amiable players to don a Seahawks jersey. But that quote during a postgame interview with Erin Andrews — after Richard’s NFC championship game-sealing tip in the end zone vs. the Niners — is what made him a household name.

Maybe Sherman still gets a seat at the “Thursday Night Football” desk without that moment. He is among the more intelligent, charismatic, entertaining players to come through the league — and is a lock for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. But to the casual fan, that was Sherman’s introduction to the world.

1. Marshawn Lynch, 2015

“I’m just here so I won’t get fined.”

Was there any question who would top this list? Beast Mode has offered many a pearl throughout his career (“I’m just ’bout that action, boss” and, “Take care of y’all chicken”), but his go-to on Super Bowl media day 11 years ago was what gave him folklore status. It encapsulated his I’m-doing-my-own-thing persona in a way that may have annoyed some reporters but ingratiated him to the public.

Since then, he’s been among the most visible former NFL players — appearing on “Conan” or “The League” or “Murderville” — or just giving Sherman gruff on “TNF.” He can thank that line (along with a potential Hall of Fame career) for most of that.