Holmgren still roots for the Seahawks

SEATTLE — Mike Holmgren is now one of the intruders.

After so many seasons of trying to insulate his teams from the noise on the outside and shield players from nosey media, he now finds himself on the other side.

He may be a coach with Hall of Fame credentials, but he’s simply a fan, observer and part-time member of the media when it comes to Sunday’s NFC championship game between Seattle and San Francisco, two franchises he knows quite well.

“It is different. Very different. I’m going to enjoy it. I’m going to enjoy every moment of it. When you’re in it, you would like to say you’re enjoying it but you’re nervous about everything. It’s exciting and that’s what you coach for and all of that, but it’s a different perspective for me and I’m looking forward to the excitement of it all,” Holmgren said this week. “I must admit, now, when I was coaching, maybe because I never got out of the building very much during the week, you’re aware of the fans and the excitement in the city but now you’re really aware.”

Holmgren knows something about playing in the postseason.

In six seasons as an assistant coach in San Francisco and 17 overall seasons as a head coach in Green Bay (seven) and Seattle (10), Holmgren coached seven times in NFC championship games, winning five.

And while his ties to the Bay Area are strong, from growing up in San Francisco and working as a high school coach in the area to serving as an assistant for the 49ers, Holmgren said he is firmly in the corner of the Seahawks.

“Well, I’m pulling for the Seahawks but I’m happy the 49ers are in because I think they are the two best teams and that’s the best game,” Holmgren said. “A couple of my colleagues at the radio station, I’m going to have to talk them off the ledge this week but I think it’s the best game and the teams know each other. There’s a lot of good stories from this game. It’s a good week.”