SAN JOSE, Calif. — These games aren’t guaranteed.

But once, Pete Carroll spoke and everything seemed possible — infinite confetti, a perpetual parade. It was Feb. 5, 2014, three days after the Seahawks dominated the Denver Broncos, 43-8, in Super Bowl 48. The franchise’s first championship parade started near the Space Needle, before sashaying along Fourth Avenue, past an estimated 700,000 bystanders bundled in green and blue. Running back Marshawn Lynch manned the hood of a duck boat, beating a drum and firing Skittles to his hungry fans.

At the parade’s end point, CenturyLink Field, Carroll stood on a crowded stage and saw the future.

“This is an extraordinary group of young men that have come together,” he said to 50,000 euphoric fans, with his team behind him and the Lombardi Trophy to his left. “They have come together to do something very special, and it’s not just one year. We’re just getting warmed up, if you know what I’m talking about.”

That was 12 years ago. Twelve frustrating football Februaries ago. One dynasty-denying end-zone interception ago. One Legion of Boom and one Beast Mode ago. Seven playoff losses ago. One hard, lasting lesson ago.

These games aren’t guaranteed. That’s why they matter.

That 12-year winter makes Super Bowl LX, between the Seahawks and New England Patriots at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., matter even more.

It matters for Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold, who found a home here, doubted and discarded but somehow undeterred. And for second-year coach Mike Macdonald, who was a 26-year-old soon-to-be intern with the Baltimore Ravens when Carroll stood on that stage.

It matters for general manager John Schneider, the NFL’s Executive of the Year, who took the keys from Carroll two years ago and built a juggernaut.

It matters for journeyman tight end Eric Saubert, whose suitcase is no longer necessary. After splitting nine seasons between eight NFL teams, Saubert signed a one-year extension with the Seahawks on Dec. 13. Five days later, he made an instantly iconic catch, a two-point conversion to top the rival Los Angeles Rams 38-37 in overtime.

The 31-year-old Saubert didn’t sleep that night, surfing waves of cresting adrenaline.

“It literally means everything,” Saubert said of his situation Wednesday, sitting at a table, surrounded by his team. “I always speak about my journey. I’m really thankful for it, because it’s given me such perspective. I’ve learned so many things. I’ve met so many people.

“It’s brought me to this moment right now — the extension, the Super Bowl. I’m here with some of my best friends I’ll have for the rest of my life. I’m just thankful for everything, because here I am.”

It matters for wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba and cornerback Devon Witherspoon, fellow first-round picks in 2023, who told each other they’d bring this city back to the Super Bowl.

It matters for defensive tackle Byron Murphy II, whose family reunion in San Francisco is worth celebrating. Murphy’s daughter, Danee’ Azaria Murphy, was born three months premature on Oct. 7. She weighed 2 pounds, 5 ounces at birth. After spending several months in the hospital, Danee’ Azaria came home in December. She was expected to fly in with Maya Hurd, Murphy’s fiancée, and the rest of his family Friday.

“I became a father and had a breakout season,” concluded a smiling Murphy, who also exploded for seven sacks in his second season. “So there’s been a lot going on.”

It matters for the Seahawks’ armada of undrafted underdogs — linebacker Drake Thomas, wide receiver Jake Bobo, cornerback Josh Jobe, tight end Brady Russell, etc. Russell — once a walk-on at Colorado, now Seattle’s special teams captain — celebrated the playoff win over San Francisco by hosting a gender reveal party. His daughter is due during training camp 2026.

It matters for rookie safety Nick Emmanwori, whose midweek ankle injury has spiked anxiety. Emmanwori is an ascending star on the NFL’s third-youngest roster, a fact that could have fans picturing multiple parades.

It matters for wide receiver Cooper Kupp and linebacker Ernest Jones IV, who reunited in Seattle after winning a Super Bowl as Rams in 2022. And for defensive linemen and veteran leaders Leonard Williams and DeMarcus Lawrence, who logged a combined 23 NFL seasons before taking this stage.

Speaking of: It matters for the former Seahawks who stood on that stage, who saw a sparkling future that cruelly faded. For Beast Mode, Sherm, Russ, Bam Bam, Doug Baldwin and Michael Bennett. For Carroll, in his Nike Air Monarchs. For the shoes he metaphorically filled. For those who came before.

It even matters economically. Local apparel stores saw historic sales after the Seahawks’ NFC championship game win. Seattle-based real estate company Zillow also forecast stronger home value growth for whichever city wins the Super Bowl.

Maybe it doesn’t matter for you, specifically. I won’t argue otherwise. Football, a violent and unforgiving sport, is not for everyone.

But broadly? It matters, maybe more than ever. In an increasingly fractured society, where halftime performer Bad Bunny is boycotted by some and beloved by so many more, sports are a gallon of glue — a unifying force.

It matters for a sports city where the Sonics were stolen. Where parades are precious and these games aren’t guaranteed. Where it often rains, but only rains Skittles once.

It matters for the kid who dons a Darth Vader helmet for Halloween, a tribute to Seattle’s defense, dubbed “The Dark Side.”

For the 12s who waited through a 12-year winter. When it comes to traffic or titles, in this town, waits are nothing new.

So, eat the nachos. Wear the jerseys. Fly the 12 flags. Believe that better weather is coming by kickoff.

Long winters make for satisfying springs, if you know what I’m talking about.

It took a while, but the Seahawks may be warming up.

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