How will the Seahawks celebrate their Super Bowl win? Cars, surfboards and sleep
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – No sooner had Super Bowl XLVIII come to its emphatic conclusion Sunday night than the Seattle Seahawks were preparing imaginative ways to celebrate their championship triumph.
Head coach Pete Carroll told his players to make sure they cherished their 43-8 victory over the Denver Broncos and "reward themselves" for becoming world champions in a fitting manner.
Given their enthusiastic response, Carroll's squad seemed to take his words to heart, and revealed a varied collection of ideas including new cars, beach vacations, gifts for their children and pricey jewelry – ranging from the relaxing to the expensive to the adventurous.
"I am going to go to the soccer World Cup in Brazil," said kicker Steven Hauschka, who played the round ball game in high school and college before switching to American football.
"I have got a friend on the U.S. national team, Brad Evans, so I am going to see him play and catch a couple of U.S. games," Hauschka continued. "Then I'll probably get myself a nice watch. I'm going to get online and do some research about what to get."
Defensive end Michael Bennett's special purchase should be somewhat less expensive – he is planning to splash out on a new surfboard to help him catch a few waves during the offseason.
"I am just going to go to Hawaii, chill out with my family and do a bit of surfing," Bennett said. "It is the best thing I can imagine at the end of the season, so I need to get the right equipment to treat myself for the work we've put in."
The Super Bowl winners' bonus amounts to $92,000 per player, and Seahawks fullback Michael Robinson might splurge most of it on a new luxury car – unless he can talk his way into a free sponsorship.
"How will I reward myself?," Robinson said. "I am done with tattoos but I have been thinking about a car, thinking about an Audi. I like the A8; it has a big body, four doors. Audi, if you are listening, I will take it."
For those mechanically inclined, the A8 retails for between $73,000-$110,000.
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Linebacker Bobby Wagner is among a number of players planning to visit theme parks with their children, mostly the Disney resorts in California and Florida, while Russell Okung vowed to head out on a luxury vacation at a beach location and deck himself out in a skimpy pair of speedos to relax.
Cornerback Byron Maxwell, meanwhile, exhausted from the exertions of the season, was unable to think past the luxury of not having to report for training next week and insisted the road to the Super Bowl had left him severely drained.
"It is a long season and it wears you down," Maxwell said. "I am just going to rest; that is the best present anyone could give me. Just waking up and not having to do anything. I don't need to buy myself anything, that is all I need."
But the most valuable gift of all will go to defensive tackle Brandon Mebane, with the birth of a baby daughter impending in a couple of months' time.
"I just got married last year in April and we are expecting our first child; she is supposed to be due on April 7," Mebane said. "That is pretty much my only vacation, getting ready for a little girl. Having that to look forward to, combined with winning the Super Bowl, that is a pretty incredible year. I feel like the luckiest guy around."
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