Then-Patriots coach Bill Belichick and Mark Wahlberg on the field ahead of Super Bowl LI in 2017.
You may be interested
Simon Bruty/Sports Illustrated/Getty Images
The Seattle Seahawks get their shot at redemption in Sunday’s Super Bowl LX against the New England Patriots, a rematch of Super Bowl XLIX. If you don’t remember that one, well, Seahawks fans won’t ever let former Seattle head coach Pete Carroll forget it.
Super Bowl XLIX in 2015 was the one where Seattle had New England on the ropes — numerous times. What proved to be the nail in the Seahawks’ coffin is the same down that should have sealed a victory for the birds instead. Down four points on their opponent’s one-yard-line, Seattle did not hand the ball off to their “Beast” of a running back Marshawn Lynch. Instead, Carroll called a pass play, and New England’s Malcolm Butler picked off the quick Russell Wilson pass, delivering Tom Brady and Bill Belichick their first Super Bowl win in a decade.
The players (and coaches) have all moved on, but fandom is for life — even in Hollywood, believe it or not. Here are five of the most famous Pats fans and five of the biggest celebrity Seahawks fans who will be living and dying with every down on Sunday.
-
Chris Pratt, Seahawks
Image Credit: Cooper Neill/Getty Images Though Chris Pratt was born in Minnesota, his family settled into a Seattle suburb early into his elementary school days. That’s what they call the formative years. When he’s not guardian-ing the galaxy, Pratt is probably the biggest celebrity in the team’s Celebrity 12th Fan group. The last time the Seahawks were in this very predicament — a Super Bowl against the Patriots — Pratt lost a bet to well-known New England Patriots super fan and fellow MCU super hero, Chris Evans. Run it back.
-
Mark Wahlberg, Patriots
Image Credit: Al Bello/Getty Images OK, so here’s the thing: Mark Wahlberg is associated with a number of NFL teams, including of course the Philadelphia Eagles as a result of his starring in Invincible. He’s somewhat of a moldable fan as it makes sense for business, which feels within character. I could have given his spot to brother Donnie Wahlberg or so many other famous New England Patriots fans. But this is Marky Mark — the dude oozes Boston and a physical discipline that would break an NFL trainer. Now in his 50s, Mark Wahlberg still looks like he could make a roster as a special teams player — and not just in a Disney movie.
-
Macklemore, Seahawks
Image Credit: Tom Hauck/Getty Images What? What? What? What?
What? What? What? What?
What? What? What? What?
What? What? What? What?
What? What? What? What?
What? What? What? What?
What? What? What? What?
What? What? What? What?Macklemore’s gonna pop some tags on fresh Super Bowl XL championship gear if his hometown Seattle Seahawks win the big game. Macklemore (real name Benjamin Hammond Haggerty) hails from Seattle and loves the local sports scene. The very first sentence of the “Interests” section of Macklemore’s Wikipedia page states: “Macklemore is a fan of the Seattle Seahawks.” He’s in.
-
Jon Bon Jovi, Patriots
Image Credit: Tim Whitby/Getty Images This traitor. Jon Bon Jovi is famously associated with his native New Jersey — he’s got a rest stop on the Garden State Parkway and everything. Despite the fact that New Jersey has not one but two professional football teams who play here — the New York Giants and the New York Jets — Bon Jovi aligned himself with the New England Patriots. (To be fair, Jon was a teenager when the Giants moved from New York to New Jersey and in his 20s by the time the Jets joined them. Plus, who chooses to be a fan of the Jets?) Bon Jovi’s good bud is Patriots owner Robert Kraft, who actually gifted the rocker two legit Super Bowl rings as a reward for his loyalty.
-
Joel McHale, Seahawks
Image Credit: Rod Mar/Sports Illustrated/Getty Images Joel McHale was actually born in Rome. Yes, Italy. But he grew up on Mercer Island, Washington and played football at the University of Washington as a walk-on tight end. As it turns out, he was better at comedy than football — but never lost his love of the game. McHale bleeds blue and whatever that neon green is for Washington state’s NFL team, the Seattle Seahawks.
-
Maria Menounos, Patriots
Image Credit: Theo Wargo/WireImage Maria Menounos is die hard. The Massachusetts-born Menounos is often seen at the Patriots’ Gillette Stadium, and famously, after the Pats lost to the New York Giants in the Super Bowl in 2012, Menounos had to wear a Giants bikini in Times Square. A bet’s a bet — even in February in New York City. Menounos is the lone woman on this list, but Debra Messing (Will & Grace), also a Patriots fan, came very close to making the cut.
-
Rainn Wilson, Seahawks
Image Credit: Lindsey Wasson/Getty Images Like Macklemore, Rainn Wilson is from Seattle-Seattle, where it rainns a ton. And like Joel McHale, Wilson attended the University of Washington. The final sentence of the “Personal Life” section of Wilson’s Wikipedia page reads: “As a native of Seattle, Wilson is an avid fan of the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks, having made several appearances on the team’s behalf.” Dwight Shrute would have no time for Sunday’s festivities, but we can guarantee Wilson will be glued to the gridiron action.
-
Matt Damon, Patriots
Image Credit: Bauer-Griffin/GC Images/Getty Images Come on now, of course Matt Damon is on this list. The Martian was born in Cambridge, and (kind of) like his Good Will Hunting character, attended Harvard for a period of time. This seems as good a place as any to mention a bunch of honorable-mention Hollywood Pats fans, like a guy who didn’t drop out of Harvard: Conan O’Brien. There’s also John Krasinski, Elton John (for real), Steven Tyler and Bill Burr, to name a few others. If Super Bowl LX were a Hollywood popularity contest, the New England Patriots would win by a few scores.
-
Will Ferrell, Seahawks
Image Credit: Imeh Akpanudosen/Getty Images If the Seahawks win on Sunday, we’re going streaking! Ferrell’s NFL football fandom was buoyed by a friendship with the team’s longterm coach Pete Carroll. (Carroll has been gone for a few years; Mike Macdonald is at the helm now.) In the early COVID days, Ferrell pranked his favorite team via Zoom as tight end Greg Olsen, a league veteran but a newcomer to the squad, who was there to “catch some balls.” The goof amused some of the guys, but others probably just thought that Olsen looked out of game shape.
-
Ben Affleck, Patriots
Image Credit: Bauer-Griffin/GC Images/Getty Images As the saying goes, behind every good Matt Damon is a great Ben Affleck. And fueling that guy is a large Dunkin’ coffee. Affleck is often photographed looking like, well, how he looks right here. But give that man a Pats win on Sunday and he just might crack a smile.
){kind=link}