Steve Largent Defends Seahawks After Cris Collinsworth Claims They “Bought the Refs” in the 26–0 Win — And the Reason Behind It Has Seattle Fans Erupting in Outrage
Seattle, Washington – December 2, 2025
The Seattle Seahawks delivered their most dominant performance of the season, crushing the Minnesota Vikings 26–0 in a defensive masterpiece at Lumen Field. But instead of universal praise, the victory was abruptly pulled into controversy when legendary NBC commentator Cris Collinsworth suggested on national television that Seattle had been “helped” by the officials.
His line — “They look like they bought the officiating crew tonight” — lasted only a second on air, but it was enough to ignite a firestorm across Seahawks Nation.
And among those who responded the loudest was a name no one expected — Hall of Famer Steve Largent, a figure who rarely inserts himself into modern NFL drama. But this time, he refused to stay silent.
The next morning, appearing on Seattle Sports Radio, Largent spoke with a calm but unmistakably sharp tone. Without dancing around the issue, he said exactly what the entire city had been thinking:
“No one has the right to dissect our mistakes for hours and then turn around and accuse Seattle of ‘buying the refs’ — that crosses the line into attacking the honor of an entire city. I wore this uniform my whole life, and I know exactly what it stands for. And anyone who throws out an accusation like that… needs the backbone to stand under the weight of their own words.”
According to several reports, tension behind Collinsworth’s controversial comment stemmed from internal NBC criticism regarding his “lack of neutrality,” especially in games involving the Vikings — a detail that only intensified Seahawks fans’ outrage, who viewed his accusation as biased and baseless.
Meanwhile, NFL statistics completely dismantled any claim of favoritism:
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There were no game-altering calls benefiting Seattle.
The Seahawks received fewer penalties than the Vikings (3 total).
Seattle’s defense won the game with 4 interceptions, 6 sacks, and held Minnesota under 200 total yards.
This wasn’t a win aided by officials. This was a win built on scheme, discipline, and a defense rediscovering its identity.
Seattle won 26–0 — but the bigger victory came from seeing the entire Seahawks community rise to defend their team, and watching Steve Largent once again wear the Navy Blue, this time through his words.
For Seattle, the message was clear:
Honor isn't something anyone gets to casually accuse — and walk away from.
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