If you walk into a sports bar today and mention the Oakland Raiders Seattle Seahawks matchup, most younger fans will just stare at you. They think of the Seahawks as that NFC West powerhouse that hates the 49ers. They see the Raiders as a Las Vegas franchise trying to find its soul in a desert dome. But for twenty-five years, these two teams were absolute blood rivals.
They weren't just "opponents." They were divisional enemies in the AFC West.
Honestly, the history between these two is weird, violent, and surprisingly deep. It’s a story of Bo Jackson running through tunnels, the loudest stadium in the world getting its start, and a move to a different conference that basically killed one of the best feuds in football.
The AFC West Era: When the Hatred Was Real
From 1977 to 2001, you couldn't mention the Raiders without the Seahawks. It was a mandatory twice-a-year grudge match. The Raiders were the established "bad boys" of the league, and the Seahawks were the expansion upstarts from the Pacific Northwest who refused to back down.
The Raiders lead the all-time regular-season series 29–25, but that slim margin doesn't tell the whole story. It was a seesaw of dominance. In the early 80s, the Raiders were winning Super Bowls, but the Seahawks were often the team that gave them the most trouble.
Take the 1983 season. The Seahawks actually swept the Raiders in the regular season. Think about that. The Raiders went on to win Super Bowl XVIII, but they couldn't beat Seattle in October or December.
The 1983 AFC Championship
Everything came to a head on January 8, 1984. The Raiders hosted the Seahawks for a trip to the Super Bowl. The Kingdome crowd was legendary, but this game was in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Over 88,000 people showed up to watch the Raiders finally exert their will.
The Raiders defense was a nightmare that day. They forced five interceptions and a fumble. Seattle's offense was completely suffocated, managing only 16 yards of total offense in the first half. The final score was 30–14, and it propelled the Silver and Black to their third world title.
Bo Jackson vs. The Boz: The Night the Tunnel Became Famous
You cannot talk about the Oakland Raiders Seattle Seahawks history without talking about Monday Night Football in 1987. It is quite possibly the most famous single game in the history of the rivalry.
Seattle had a rookie linebacker named Brian Bosworth. "The Boz." He was a marketing machine with a mohawk and a massive ego. He spent the week leading up to the game talking about how he was going to "contain" Bo Jackson.
Bad move.
Bo Jackson, playing on his 25th birthday, didn't just contain the hype; he vaporized it.
- The 91-Yard Run: Bo took the ball at his own 9-yard line and just... gone. He outran everyone, and because he had so much momentum, he kept running right through the end zone and into the tunnel leading to the locker rooms.
- The Goal Line Collision: Later, Bo caught Bosworth 1-on-1 at the two-yard line. Instead of dancing, Bo lowered his shoulder and drove Bosworth into the turf, carrying him into the end zone.
Jackson finished with 221 rushing yards. Bosworth’s career never really recovered from the optics of that night. It was the ultimate "Raider" moment.
Why the Rivalry Ended (And Why It Still Matters)
In 2002, the NFL underwent a massive realignment. The league added the Houston Texans and needed to balance the divisions. Because the Seahawks were originally an expansion team that spent one year in the NFC (1976) before moving to the AFC, the league decided to send them back "home" to the NFC West.
Just like that, the twice-a-year battles were gone.
Now, they only play once every four years. It changed the vibe. When they met in 2022, it was a wild 40–34 overtime win for the Raiders, featuring a massive 86-yard walk-off touchdown run by Josh Jacobs. It felt like the old days. It felt like the AFC West.
Shared Legends: The Beast Mode Connection
There’s a strange brotherhood between these fanbases, mostly because they’ve shared some of the most iconic players in history.
Marshawn Lynch is the obvious one. He became a god in Seattle with "Beast Mode" and the "Beast Quake" run, but he’s an Oakland kid through and through. When he came out of retirement to play for his hometown Raiders in 2017, both fanbases cheered.
Then you have Jerry Rice. Most people forget the GOAT finished his career in a Seahawks jersey in 2004 after leaving the Raiders. It’s a bit like seeing your dad in a weird shirt—it doesn't feel right, but the respect is still there.
What You Should Know If You're Betting or Tracking This Matchup
Since they don't play often, the data is skewed. But here is the reality of the Oakland Raiders Seattle Seahawks dynamic in the modern era:
- Home Field is Everything: The Seahawks’ "12th Man" advantage at Lumen Field is legitimate. The Raiders, even in their Los Angeles or Oakland days, always struggled with the noise in Seattle.
- The "Trap" Factor: Because this isn't a "rivalry" on the schedule anymore, teams often overlook each other. The Raiders’ 2022 win in Seattle was a massive upset because the Seahawks were fighting for a playoff spot and the Raiders were, well, struggling.
- Physicality: Historically, both these teams pride themselves on being "tough." Even in the preseason—where they used to play every single year until recently—the games were unusually chippy.
Actionable Insights for Fans
If you want to truly appreciate this matchup when it comes around again in 2026, don't look at current standings. Look at the tape from the 80s and 90s.
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- Watch the 1987 MNF Highlights: See why Bo Jackson is a mythological figure.
- Check the 1983 AFC Championship: It shows how a dominant defense can break a rival's spirit.
- Follow the 2026 Schedule: The Raiders are slated to play the Seahawks again in the 2026 regular season. Mark that date. It’s one of the few times you get to see two franchises with completely different identities but a shared history of violence on the field.
The Raiders might be in Vegas now, and the Seahawks might be the kings of the NFC West, but the ghost of the AFC West still haunts this game. It’s a rivalry that isn't dead—it’s just waiting for the next kickoff.
Next Steps for Your Research
To get the full picture of this history, look up the "1984 AFC Wild Card" game. It was Seattle's revenge for the previous year's championship loss, and it’s a masterclass in how Chuck Knox used the ground game to dismantle the Raiders' title defense. It's the perfect counterpoint to the Raiders' 1983 dominance.