Seahawks GM John Schneider Turns Super Bowl Parade into “Faith Walk” with Surprise Gift for Fans
Seattle Seahawks General Manager John Schneider added an unexpected spiritual dimension to the team’s raucous Super Bowl LX victory parade this week, spotted by thousands of fans tossing tiny “Jesus ❤️ You” figurines from his vehicle into the cheering crowd.
The gesture, which occurred as the team celebrated their decisive 29-13 victory over the New England Patriots, has sparked a mix of confusion, amusement, and deep appreciation across the Emerald City. While players and staff chugged beverages and waved to the hundreds of thousands lining Fourth Avenue, Schneider used the platform to share a personal message of faith.
A Personal Mission Amidst Celebration
The moment, captured on social media and broadcast feeds, showed the long-time executive reaching into a bag and tossing the miniature statues to fans along the parade route. Close-up photos shared by attendees reveal the figurines to be small, plastic depictions of Jesus, often with the message “Jesus ❤️ You” printed on the base.
This public display is deeply rooted in Schneider’s personal history. A devout Catholic, Schneider has long kept a similar, larger statue on his desk at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center—a gift from his mother inscribed with the Bible verse Matthew 10:27 and the phrase “With God, anything is possible.”
In interviews leading up to the championship, Schneider had alluded to a spiritual theme underlining the Seahawks’ 2025-2026 season. He dedicated the season to “angels,” referencing the recent passing of his own father, as well as the fathers of players Jake Bobo, Drew Lock, and Charles Cross. For Schneider, the figurines were likely less about proselytizing and more about acknowledging the “divine help” he believes guided the team through a season marked by personal grief and professional triumph.
Fan Reactions: From “Amen” to “What is This?”
The reaction from the “12s”—Seattle’s famously loud fanbase—was immediate and varied, highlighting the unique intersection of sports and religion.
On platforms like Reddit and X (formerly Twitter), the response ranged from touched to bewildered. One fan posted a photo of the figurine they caught, asking, “Why did John Schneider throw this at me? Is it Jesus?? I’m confused, but Go Hawks.” Another user described the scene with humor, noting the surreal nature of a general manager tossing religious icons to a crowd that was largely there for football and partying.
However, for many fans sharing Schneider’s faith, the gesture was a powerful coda to a championship season. Supporters defended the move as a harmless and genuine expression of gratitude from a man who has steered the franchise to its second Lombardi Trophy. “It’s called evangelism,” one user joked, while others simply appreciated the vulnerability of a high-profile executive sharing what matters most to him during a career-defining moment.
A Victory Steeped in Emotion
The parade itself was the culmination of a dominant season for Seattle, with the team’s defense stifling the Patriots in Santa Clara to secure the title. But for Schneider, the victory lap was clearly about more than just football. By tossing the figurines, he turned a standard athletic celebration into a personal testament, ensuring that while the Lombardi Trophy will sit in the team’s display case, thousands of fans went home with a very different kind of memento.
