How many Seattle workers will call out for 'Super Bowl flu' Monday?
SEATTLE - As the Seattle Seahawks take the world stage for Super Bowl 2026, employers are bracing for a different kind of impact: a record-breaking wave of empty desks and skipped shifts.
A new study by UKG, a leading HR and workforce management platform, projects that a staggering 26.2 million U.S. employees plan to miss work the Monday after the big game. This marks the second straight year of record-setting absenteeism, up from 22.6 million in 2025.
For Seattle, where the 12s are legendary for their intensity, the "Super Bowl flu" is expected to hit particularly hard, potentially costing billions in lost productivity nationwide.
Seattle Seahawks fans cheer during a Super Bowl 2026 watch party at a bar on Feb. 8, 2026, in Seattle, Wash. The Seahawks are playing against the New England Patriots. (David Ryder/Getty Images)
The 12th Man effect on the Monday workforce
By the numbers:
Seattle fans are known for their volume at Lumen Field, but that energy often transitions into a quiet Monday morning at the office.
According to the UKG data, the national financial toll of this unofficial holiday could reach upwards of $5.2 billion.
While millions of fans are planning ahead, many remain on the sidelines. The survey found that 8.2 million employees nationally will wait until the last minute to decide whether they are heading into work. In the Pacific Northwest, where Super Bowl parties are a cultural staple, that game-time decision often depends on the final score — and the level of celebration that follows.
• Seahawks fans pack watch parties across Seattle ahead of Super Bowl
As Seahawks fans packed Victory Hall in Seattle ahead of the Super Bowl, FOX 13 spotted one lone Patriots supporter holding his own amid a sea of 12s at the watch party.
How Seattle fans are planning their sick day
The 20-year longitudinal study from UKG shows that fans are becoming more strategic about their absence. Gone are the days of simple ghosting. Today’s workforce is opting for more transparency:
- Pre-approved leave: 13.1 million workers have already cleared the day with their managers.
- Shift swapping: 6.5 million employees are trading shifts to ensure they can catch the kickoff.
- The sick call: Approximately 3.3 million people admit they intend to call out sick despite feeling perfectly fine.
- The ghosters: In a win for local managers, ghosting (skipping without notice) is down to 1.6 million, a significant drop from 3.2 million last year.
Fans cheer inside Levi's Stadium prior to the start of the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots play the Super Bowl at Levi's Stadium on Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026, in Santa Clara, Calif. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
A playbook for Seattle employers
Dig deeper:
With the Seahawks’ high-profile appearance, local experts suggest that coverage planning is the best defense. UKG’s research highlights that 56% of employees are less likely to call out at the last minute if their managers start staffing conversations weeks in advance.
"Unplanned absences can quickly add up," said Julie Develin, senior partner at UKG. "Data shows employees are not only planning ahead for it, but also hoping for an assist from their employer."
In the study, nearly two-thirds of managers said they plan to ask their teams directly about Super Bowl plans to avoid the Monday morning scramble. In Seattle’s tech-heavy and frontline-reliant sectors, this proactive communication is becoming the standard game plan to keep the local economy moving.
Inside the Super Bowl 2026 fan experience
Thousands of Seahawks fans who made the trip to the Bay Area were treated to an interactive Super Bowl Experience at San Francisco’s Moscone Center, where football exhibits, games, memorabilia and activities kicked off the celebration ahead of Sunday’s big game.
Beyond Super Bowl 2026
Timeline:
Super Bowl 2026 is just the start of what researchers are calling "The Year of Must-Watch Absence." Seattle employers should stay alert, as other major events in 2026 are expected to trigger similar staffing gaps:
- Winter Olympics (Feb.): 26.2 million potential absences.
- March Madness: 18 million fans expected to skip.
- FIFA World Cup (June/July): A massive 36 million workers likely to miss time.
For Seattleites, if the Seahawks win Super Bowl 2026, there may be plenty of sick calls (cough, cough) on Monday and mid-week for the city's Super Bowl parade.
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