During the pregame ceremonies at Lumen Field on Monday night, U.S. Army UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters faced a near-disaster as fireworks erupted perilously close to the aircraft. Four helicopters from the U.S. Army’s 2nd Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment, were flying over the stadium before the Seattle Seahawks’ game against the Chicago Bears when the pyrotechnics malfunctioned.
Video footage captured the moment the fourth helicopter had not yet cleared the stadium when the fireworks began, with some appearing to nearly strike the aircraft. The incident occurred prior to the Seahawks' eventual 34-17 loss to the Bears.
The close call with the helicopters seemed to foreshadow a difficult night for the Seahawks. The defense allowed 34 points, the most they had conceded all season. Bears quarterback Caleb Williams passed for 237 yards, surpassing the 200-yard mark against a Seahawks defense that had previously held opponents under that total for the first seven weeks of the season. Chicago's offense accumulated 363 yards, exceeding their previous season high by 62 yards.
The struggles extended beyond the defense, with the Bears blocking a field goal and limiting the Seahawks to 252 total offensive yards, their second-lowest output of the season.
The Seahawks, now at a 4-4 record, will seek to rebound in their upcoming game against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.