The 2026 NFL season opens with a Super Bowl LX rematch as the Seattle Seahawks host the New England Patriots at Lumen Field. Before kickoff, a Seattle music icon will take center stage for a familiar NFL tradition.
The Seahawks have confirmed Mike McCready will perform the national anthem before the game. The Pearl Jam guitarist, a Seattle native and longtime Seahawks connection, will also join Soundgarden during the halftime show.
Kickoff is scheduled for 8:20 PM ET on Wednesday, September 9. With McCready handling the anthem and later returning to the stage, the pregame ceremony sets up a music-heavy opening night in Seattle.
Has Mike McCready performed the national anthem before?
Mike McCready has performed the national anthem before, including at Seahawks and Mariners games in Seattle. He previously played a Jimi Hendrix-inspired version of the anthem at multiple sporting events, and the Seahawks specifically note that he performed it before the team’s 2017 home opener.
Mike McCready during the 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony (Source: Theo Wargo/Getty Images for RRHOF)
As a Seattle native and longtime sports fan, he has regularly taken part in events involving the city’s professional teams. The Seahawks have also featured him in other game-day traditions, including raising the 12 Flag before a 2019 matchup with the Baltimore Ravens.
His performance before the 2026 NFL season opener will therefore be a return to a role he has already filled at Lumen Field. This time, however, it carries an additional connection to the night’s entertainment: McCready will also join Soundgarden during halftime alongside Taylor Momsen of The Pretty Reckless.
He acknowledged that he still feels pressure performing the anthem despite having done it several times. Speaking to the Seahawks, he said he wants to perform it in his own style while making sure the moment means something to the Seattle crowd.
What is Mike McCready’s connection to the Seahawks?
Mike McCready is a Seattle native, longtime Seahawks supporter and frequent participant in the team’s game-day events, making him a natural choice for the 2026 season opener.
His relationship with the franchise goes well beyond performing the national anthem, with the Seahawks having involved him in community initiatives and stadium traditions over the years.
He was previously a 12 Flag raiser, an honor reserved for notable figures and members of the Seahawks community, and the NFL’s Seahawks media guide lists McCready among the team’s past 12 Flag raisers for a 2019 game against Baltimore.
In February 2026, he joined the Seahawks for a visit to Washington Middle School, where the team, Safeway and the Vitalogy Foundation donated $30,000 to support the school’s band and orchestra program. He spoke about the importance of music in his own development and helped highlight the school’s fundraising effort.
