The importance of family has been a recurring theme through two seasons of The Sound, and episode 15 continues that theme with Lauren Lockett, wife of Seahawks wideout Tyler Lockett, opening the show. Lauren gives the perspective of a team wife, as she prepares for game days and watches her husband take hits in Year 9.
"I get nervous," said Lauren Lockett. "Because, I'm not like a sports person. So, when I see him get tackled, I'm like 'Is he OK? Is he hurt?' I don't really go on the field before the game, but I will text him a small paragraph (pre-game). Give him 'Good Luck' and all of that."
The episode then moves to Seattle's Week 13 Thursday Night Football 41-35 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Exclusive clips of Seattle's battle to the end on the road are on full-display in a matchup that set Amazon Prime viewership records. Despite not being able to come up with the win late, the game provided a look at a team willing to fight until the end for a much-needed win.
Lauren Lockett gives insight on how she and Tyler got together, chronicling their journey to marriage from their start as friends on Instagram. Lauren breaks down the humility she saw in Lockett's character - as the couples' story serves as a backdrop for the episode.
"We met on Instagram," said Lockett. "I just wanted a chill dude, just a relaxed dude - I didn't want to be in all of that celebrity-type stuff. He finally sent me a long message, and was like 'I really want to get to know you. I have good intentions.' And that made me see him differently. When I finally met him in person, I was like 'Oh wow, he really is different. He had on a hoodie, some sweatpants, some slides - and he was just chill. I was like 'I like this. I think we can get along.'"
The episode provides us with a look at the ninth-year wideout, as Lockett uses some time off the field to sign autographs and speak to local youth about his journey.
"When I was in high school," said Lockett. "I made all of my highlight tapes. My mom gave me this disc, so I put it on my computer, and we taped every single football game. So, I got every single clip of the football game, downloaded it and then I literally took out all my plays and made the highlight tape. When you come into the NFL, it's not like middle school football, high school football or even college football. These are people's jobs. Even though it's about a team sport, it's also about individuals too. Because, even though the team is winning, if that person isn't doing what they want to do to be able to win and play at a high level - that affects his contract. There's a lot of eyes in the game of football when it comes to the NFL. So, that's the hardest part about any team in the NFL, is you've got to get a large group of guys to be able to play together. That's why it's easier for older guys to play together, because they say 'I already made my money. I already did the things that I wanted to be able to do. Because I did that - now, I just want to win.'"
The episode continues to Seattle's 28-16 Week 14 road loss to the San Francisco 49ers, as another valiant effort from Seattle on the road comes up short. With starter Geno Smith sidelined with a groin injury, quarterback Drew Lock threw for two scores in his first start as a Seahawk. Lockett led all Seattle receivers with six receptions for 89 yards, while tight end Colby Parkinson caught his first touchdown of the year. Despite Seattle's resiliency, the loss extended their streak to four-consecutive games, falling to 6-7. Coach Pete Carroll discussed what Seattle needs to do in their final-four games to "make something of the season."
"We've got four games at the end of the schedule here," said Carroll. "That makes up really the all-time fourth quarter of the season. And this is our shot coming up on Monday night against a great team, here we go. We're going to face it, and we've got to do something about it, to make something out of this year."
The episode closes on a high note, giving a flashback through several efforts by the team to give back for the holidays - from quarterback Geno Smith’s 7 Sunday Heroes Turkey Drive to linebacker Uchenna Nwosu and running back DeeJay Dallas’ winter coat drive. Episode 15 gives a full-circle look at how important the family atmosphere is for Seattle - from the field to the stands to the community.
Check out some of the best action shots from Week 14 at the 49ers at Levi's Stadium on December 10, 2023. Game action photos are presented by Washington's Lottery.