Overview
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold has repeatedly spoken of “seeing ghosts” on the field, a metaphor that has taken on a literal twist after a Seattle‑area resident’s paranormal experience was documented this week. Keith Linder, a longtime Seahawks fan and former Microsoft software engineer, recounted a series of unexplained events that began in May 2012 at his rental home in Bothell, Washington. Linder’s account, corroborated by a team of exorcists and a UK‑based parapsychologist, includes persistent coughing sounds, levitating objects, and a wall drawing described as “demonic.” The investigators recorded more than 400 electronic voice phenomena (EVPs) that they traced to burial sites in Ireland, suggesting a possible transatlantic link to the disturbances.
The Bothell Hauntings
Linder and his girlfriend, Tina, first noticed the anomaly on May 1, 2012, when a repetitive “cough‑cough‑cough” noise echoed through the house day and night. Initial attempts to locate a source—neighboring apartments, plumbing, or wildlife—proved fruitless. Over the following weeks, everyday items vanished: car keys, silverware, and other small objects. The activity escalated when, while watching television, a potted plant lifted off the floor, rotated once, and settled back down. Shortly thereafter, a dark, intricate drawing appeared on a bedroom wall, prompting Linder to describe it as “demonic.”
Investigation and Findings
Unable to find a local “ghost‑busting” service, Linder reached out to two independent exorcists and Dr. Eleanor Harper, a parapsychologist from the United Kingdom. Harper conducted a week‑long on‑site survey, deploying high‑sensitivity microphones and electromagnetic field meters. The team captured over 400 distinct EVPs, many of which featured faint, unintelligible speech that, when analyzed with spectral software, matched phonetic patterns of 19th‑century Irish Gaelic. Cross‑referencing burial records revealed that several of the identified phrases corresponded to names inscribed on Irish cemeteries linked to emigration waves to the Pacific Northwest.
Connecting the Paranormal to the Seahawks
Linder, a devoted Seahawks supporter, sees a parallel between his home’s haunting and the franchise’s recent “ghosts” on the field. He notes that Darnold’s 2019 comment about “seeing ghosts” during a loss to the Patriots mirrors the four‑stage coping model he employed: deny, hunt, fight, and flight. “When I was living with the unknown in my house, I realized confronting it head‑on was the only way to regain control,” Linder told Sports Illustrated. He now advises the Seahawks’ coaching staff to adopt a similar mindset—acknowledge past setbacks, investigate underlying causes, and address them directly before the Super Bowl.
Implications and Outlook
While the scientific community remains skeptical of EVP analysis, the thorough documentation of Linder’s case provides a rare, data‑rich example of contemporary paranormal investigation. The involvement of trained exorcists and an academic parapsychologist lends the report a degree of credibility that is often absent from anecdotal hauntings. For the Seahawks, the story offers a symbolic reminder that unresolved issues—whether on the gridiron or in a suburban home—can linger and affect performance. As the team prepares for Super Bowl LX, Linder’s recommendation is clear: confront the spirits, both literal and figurative, before they become the decisive factor.
The article is based on a February 6, 2026 interview with Keith Linder and subsequent investigative reports from the involved paranormal specialists.
