The “12s” are the Seattle Seahawks’ fanbase—essentially the team’s symbolic 12th player on the field.

What “12s” Means

  • In American football, each team has 11 players on the field; the fans are celebrated as the “12th Man,” now commonly shortened to “12s.”
  • “12s” is the official nickname the Seahawks use for their fans, featured on flags, jerseys, and branding around Seattle and Lumen Field.
  • The idea is that the crowd’s noise and energy give Seattle an extra advantage, like having one more player in the game.

How the Tradition Started

  • The Seahawks retired jersey number 12 in 1984 to honor their fans, meaning no player wears that number because it belongs to the supporters.
  • Over the 2000s and 2010s, the 12s gained fame for extremely loud home crowds that disrupted opposing offenses and contributed to frequent false starts and timeouts.
  • Lumen Field was even engineered to trap and amplify noise, reinforcing the identity and power of the 12s on game day.

Culture and Game-Day Impact

  • The 12 flag is raised before home games—often by local celebrities, former players, or community figures—as a ritual to “activate” the 12s.
  • Crowd celebrations in Seattle have been strong enough at times to register as minor seismic events, adding to the legend of fan impact.
  • Local stories and fan-made videos describe being a 12 as showing up early, wearing blue and green, and yelling nonstop when the opposing offense is on the field.

Quick HTML Table: Key Facts About the 12s

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Aspect What It Means
Who are the 12s? Seattle Seahawks fans, considered the team’s “12th player.”
Jersey number 12 Retired in 1984 to honor fans; no player wears it.
Stadium Lumen Field is designed to funnel and amplify crowd noise.
Symbols 12 flags around Seattle, on landmarks and at games.
Reputation Known for extremely loud, disruptive game-day atmosphere and seismic-level celebrations.

TL;DR: “12s” are Seahawks fans, honored as the 12th player for their loud, passionate support that helps tilt home games in Seattle’s favor.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.