Ask Seahawks fan Mina Kimes, there's hope for Washington's future originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
If anybody knows what it's like to root for a bad football team, but ultimately be rewarded with a Super Bowl victory, it's ESPN NFL analyst Mina Kimes.
Kimes is a regular on ESPN's litany of shows, and in addition to her sharp analysis, she's known for being a diehard Seattle Seahawks fan. Being a Seattle fan is a little easier these days thanks to Russell Wilson and Pete Carroll, but it hasn't always been an easy road.
She joined the latest episode of Washington Football Talk to give a little pep talk to JP, Pete and Mitch about the future of Washington.
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"100 percent, yeah," Kimes said when asked if going through the tough times as a Seahawks fan made their recent success better. "I mean people like to joke about Seahawks fans bandwagoning after Russell Wilson was drafted in the infamous 2012 draft, but it certainly wouldn’t taste as sweet if I hadn’t watched Tavaris Jackson the year before and whatnot. And then of course winning the Super Bowl after the Super Bowl with Hasselbeck -- the worst-officiated game in NFL history -- made the victorious Super Bowl all the more delightful."
Kimes obviously has less-than-fond memories of life before Russell Wilson. The Seahawks struggled at the game's most important position before finding Wilson midway through the 2012 draft. And the 2005 Super Bowl loss was particularly difficult.
But as she says, that just makes the good times sweeter. And in the NFL, good times are never too far out of reach.
"Things turn around quickly in the NFL these days, given what a valuable commodity an actually good rookie quarterback is," Kimes said. "So it could happen."
Washington hasn't experienced even the level of "success" Seattle did pre-Wilson. Their last Super Bowl trip was a lot longer ago than 2005. But that doesn't mean their aren't quality pieces in the nation's capital, something Kimes admits.
Washington has one of the most impressive defensive lines in professional football, and a young superstar at wide receiver. They also have what appears to be stability in their head coach.
But most importantly of all, they are in position to potentially add a franchise quarterback in the upcoming 2021 NFL Draft. Trevor Lawrence and Justin Fields are two of the best quarterback prospects in recent years, and Washington is primed to have a top pick in the draft. And as Kimes says, simply having a quarterback on a rookie contract isn't enough -- they have to actually be good.
If Washington can add the right pieces, they may find themselves in a similar position in a few years as the Seahawks are in now. And according to those who know, the good times will feel that much better after the long journey all Washington fans have been on.
