Preparations for the Super Bowl are officially underway in the Bay Area, with the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots set to compete for the Lombardi Trophy on February 8. But Monday delivered more than just football-related developments. Two notable updates emerged from Northern California, both unfolding within hours of each other.

First, both Super Bowl teams arrived in San Jose, beginning the final stretch of pregame preparations. Shortly after, attention shifted from football to geology. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that a 4.3-magnitude earthquake shook parts of the San Francisco Bay Area. The development was later confirmed by the U.S. Geological Survey, which noted a broader sequence of seismic activity in the region.

According to the data, the Bay Area experienced a swarm of 14 earthquakes early Monday morning. Seven of those quakes occurred between approximately 6:30 a.m. and 7:00 a.m., with magnitudes ranging from 2.5 to 3.9. All of them shared closely clustered epicenters near Alcosta Boulevard in San Ramon, suggesting a concentrated seismic zone rather than isolated incidents.

The most significant event followed just after 7:00 a.m., when a 4.2-magnitude quake struck southeast of San Ramon. The shaking was strong enough to be felt across several East Bay communities, including Oakland, Richmond, San Leandro, and Hayward. In San Francisco itself, residents reported windows rattling in Glen Park and noticeable rumbling in NoPa, underscoring how widely the tremor was felt.

San Ramon, located roughly 40 miles from San Jose, where both teams had just landed, has seen increased seismic activity in recent months. Reports indicate the area recorded around 87 earthquakes of magnitude 2.0 or higher during November and December alone. And in response to the renewed activity, BART issued a service alert. The alert advises riders that trains are operating at reduced speeds as a precaution.

That said, while preparations for the Super Bowl continued uninterrupted, the morning served as a reminder that in the Bay Area, major sporting events sometimes share the stage with nature itself.

The Seahawks and the Patriots will take part in Super Bowl opening night

With Drake Maye and Sam Darnold, along with their respective teams, now settled in San Jose, Super Bowl preparations are officially underway. That said, the first major checkpoint of the week arrives Monday night, when both teams take part in Opening Night. It’s one of the most media-heavy and unpredictable events on the Super Bowl calendar. Players and coaches from both sides will step into extended media sessions, fielding questions from reporters.

Naturally, quarterbacks like Darnold and Maye are expected to draw plenty of attention, along with offensive playmakers such as Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Stefon Diggs, and Cooper Kupp. On the coaching side, head coaches Mike Macdonald and Mike Vrabel will also be part of the rotation. And while football-related topics will dominate, Opening Night usually brings its share of lighter, off-beat moments as well.

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What adds another layer to the moment is that both quarterbacks and both HCs are experiencing the Super Bowl stage for the first time. While Vrabel won a Super Bowl as a player with the Patriots, sure. But this marks his debut in the big game as a head coach. With familiar franchises meeting again on the sport’s biggest stage, how each side handles the week could play a quiet but meaningful role in what’s shaping up to be a Super Bowl rematch worth watching.