Look, being a Seahawks fan usually involves a healthy dose of anxiety and a very specific Sunday morning ritual. You've got the jersey ready. The coffee is brewing. But the schedule makers in the NFL love to mess with us, flipping kickoff times like they’re flipping coins at midfield. If you are frantically asking what time is the seahawks game on sunday, you aren't alone; the flex scheduling era has made "1:05 PM PT" feel like a suggestion rather than a rule.
The Seattle Seahawks are currently navigating a season where every divisional matchup feels like a playoff game. It’s loud. It’s stressful. It’s exactly what we signed up for. Whether they are defending the nest at Lumen Field or heading down to the desert or the Bay Area, the start time dictates your entire weekend. Don't be the person who checks their phone at 1:15 PM only to realize the opening kickoff happened an hour ago because of an East Coast window.
When To Tune In: Breaking Down the Kickoff
For this Sunday, the Seahawks are scheduled to kick off at 1:05 PM PT.
This is that classic late-afternoon window that the NFL loves for West Coast home games. If you're watching from the East Coast, that’s a 4:05 PM ET start, which basically means you’re the "bridge" game between the early window and Sunday Night Football. If you are lucky enough to be heading to SoDo, the gates at Lumen Field typically open two hours before kickoff. Get there early. Seriously. The traffic around the stadiums when both the Seahawks and Sounders (or Mariners) are in town is a special kind of nightmare that no GPS can truly prepare you for.
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Television coverage is usually handled by FOX or CBS, depending on the opponent. For most NFC matchups, you’re looking at FOX. You’ll want to check your local listings because the "national" game isn't always the "local" game, though in the Pacific Northwest, the Hawks almost always take priority. If you’re streaming, the NFL+ app or Paramount+ (if it’s a CBS game) are your best bets, but keep an eye on those regional blackout rules—they are finicky and annoying.
Why the Schedule Always Feels Like a Moving Target
NFL scheduling isn't just about dates; it's about television ratings.
The league uses "flexible scheduling" to ensure that the best matchups get the most eyeballs. This starts kicking in heavily around Week 5 and becomes a free-for-all by Week 14. Basically, the NFL can move a Sunday afternoon game to Sunday night with about 12 days' notice. If Seattle is hovering around the top of the NFC West and their opponent is a powerhouse like the 49ers or the Eagles, don't be shocked if that 1:05 PM start suddenly turns into a 5:20 PM PT primetime slot.
It's all about the money. Advertisers want the Hawks' "12th Man" energy on national TV.
While the "what time is the seahawks game on sunday" question seems simple, it’s influenced by everything from network protected games to how many times a team has already appeared in primetime. Each team is limited to a certain number of night games, but with the new media deals, those rules are becoming more like guidelines.
The Lumen Field Experience: Timing Your Arrival
If you’re actually going to the game, the "time" of the game is only half the battle. You have to account for the "Seahawk Time" drift.
- 9:00 AM: Tailgating starts in the North Lot and surrounding areas. The energy is already peaking.
- 11:00 AM: Security lines start to swell. Pro tip: use the clear bag policy or you’ll be walking back to your car.
- 12:30 PM: You need to be in your seat. The pre-game introductions, the raising of the 12th Man Flag, and the hawk flight are things you don't want to miss.
- 1:05 PM: Kickoff.
The flag-raising ceremony is arguably the best tradition in professional sports. Seeing a local legend or a community hero pull that rope while the stadium vibrates is enough to give anyone chills. If you're still waiting for a hot dog when the flag goes up, you’ve failed the assignment.
Impact of the Opponent on the Clock
Who the Seahawks play matters for the "vibe" of the Sunday clock. When we play an AFC team at home, the game often gets moved to CBS. This changes the broadcast team and sometimes even the rhythm of the commercial breaks. If the opponent is an East Coast team like the Giants or the Commanders, the NFL sometimes pushes for an earlier start to accommodate those fans back east, though 1:00 PM PT remains the standard for Seattle home games.
Away games are a different beast entirely. If the Hawks are playing in Charlotte or Miami, you’re looking at a 10:00 AM PT kickoff. Those are the Sundays where you’re eating breakfast burritos while watching Geno Smith lead a two-minute drill. It feels weird, but it’s the price we pay for living in the best corner of the country.
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Real-World Nuance: The Weather Factor
Seattle weather is famously unpredictable, but it rarely delays the start time. Football is played in the rain, the wind, and the occasional dusting of snow. However, heavy lightning within a certain radius of the stadium can trigger a mandatory 30-minute delay.
We haven't seen many of those at Lumen, but it’s always a possibility in the early autumn months when those weird Puget Sound thunderstorms roll through. If the game time shifts due to weather, the NFL's social media accounts and the local sports radio (710 ESPN Seattle) are the first places to check. They are usually faster than the big TV networks at updating the "real" kickoff time.
How to Stay Updated Without Losing Your Mind
Honestly, the best way to keep track of the Seahawks' shifting schedule is to sync the official team calendar to your phone. Websites like ESPN or the official NFL site are good, but they sometimes lag on "flex" updates for a few hours.
You should also keep an eye on the injury report. While it doesn't change the time of the game, it definitely changes how much you’re going to enjoy it. If the star offensive tackles are out, that 1:05 PM kickoff might lead to a very long three hours of watching the QB run for his life.
Key Logistics for Sunday:
- Check the Flex: Ensure no last-minute changes were made by the league (usually settled 6-12 days prior).
- Radio Backup: If you’re stuck in traffic, tune into 710 AM or 97.3 FM. Steve Raible’s voice is the only way to properly experience a Seahawks game if you can't be in front of a screen.
- App Alerts: Turn on notifications for the Seahawks app. They’ll ping you the second the inactive list is released (90 minutes before kickoff).
The "12th Man" is a real thing. The noise levels at Lumen Field have literally registered on seismographs. Knowing the exact time the game starts isn't just about catching the kickoff; it's about being part of that collective roar that makes Seattle one of the hardest places for visiting teams to play.
Next Steps for Gameday Success
Check the current weather forecast for the 98104 zip code about four hours before kickoff to decide on your layers—remember, the stadium roof doesn't cover the field, and depending on your seat, you might get soaked. Verify your broadcast channel one last time via the "506 Sports" blackout maps, which are the gold standard for seeing exactly which NFL games are airing in your specific region. If you are streaming, log into your provider early to handle any "forced updates" that always seem to happen right at kickoff. Finally, if you're driving, download the WSDOT app to monitor the I-5 and SR-99 closures that frequently plague downtown Seattle on Sundays.