Before the Carolina Panthers and Seattle Seahawks add another chapter to their "rivalry," the series gained a bizarre footnote early Sunday morning.

A fire alarm was activated at the Panthers' team hotel in Seattle at approximately 5:40 a.m., PT, forcing players, coaches and staff out of their rooms. According to the Panthers:

"The team was evacuated from the affected floors and staged in meeting rooms on the first floor. At approximately 6 a.m., PDT, the all-clear announcement was made to return to hotel rooms."

"Obviously, this is an issue that directly affects our club. We will let the hotel and the League investigate," team spokesperson Steven Drummond said in a statement.

The unplanned wake-up call may have no effect on what happens at CenturyLink Field later Sunday, but it's another tweak to the Panthers, who have never won in Seattle and have lost five straight in the series. The 2016 schedule features another trip to Seattle for Carolina, the fifth consecutive year they'll meet in the regular season.