Cris Collinsworth added a little political humor to Sunday night’s broadcast — and it didn’t go unnoticed.
During NBC’s coverage of the Seattle Seahawks’ dominant 38-14 victory over the Washington Commanders, the camera panned to the U.S. Capitol as the game transitioned from the third to the fourth quarter. Collinsworth quipped, “There’s a calm place,” prompting laughter from play-by-play announcer Mike Tirico.
His joke landed amid a tense backdrop, as the federal government shutdown stretched into its sixth week. President Donald Trump told 60 Minutes earlier that day he believed Democrats would ultimately have to give in to Republicans’ terms. “I think they have to,” Trump said. “And if they don’t vote, it’s their problem.”
On the field, Seattle was anything but calm. Quarterback Sam Darnold opened the game on fire, completing his first 17 passes and racking up four touchdown throws before halftime — two to Tory Horton, one to Cody White, and another to Elijah Arroyo. By the time the first half ended, Seattle had piled up 28 points.
Darnold finished 21-of-24 for 330 yards, with one interception in the second half. Tight end A.J. Barner added a rushing score, while Jaxson Smith-Njigba led the team in receiving with eight catches for 129 yards.
For Washington, rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels left early after suffering a severe arm injury. He went 16-for-22 for 153 yards with a touchdown on the ground and one interception. Running back Chris Rodriguez also found the end zone, but it wasn’t enough to slow Seattle’s onslaught.
The win improved the Seahawks to 5-2, while the Commanders dropped to 3-5 — and Collinsworth’s Capitol Hill joke proved to be one of the broadcast’s more memorable moments of the night.