Seattle Seahawks
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Year founded: 1976 | |||||
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| City | Seattle, Washington | ||||
| Team colors | Pacific Blue, Navy Blue, Neon Green, White | ||||
| Head Coach | Mike Holmgren | ||||
| Owner | Paul Allen | ||||
| General manager | Tim Ruskell | ||||
| Mascot | Blitz, and Taima the augur hawk | ||||
| League/Conference affiliations | |||||
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National Football League (1976–present)
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| Team history | |||||
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| Championships | |||||
| League Championships (0) | |||||
Conference Championships (1)
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| Division Championships (4) | |||||
| Home fields | |||||
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The Seattle Seahawks are a professional football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL). The team, along with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, joined the NFL in 1976 as expansion teams.Seattle and the Baltimore Colts are the only two teams to play in both the AFC (American Football Conference) and NFC Championship Games. The Seahawks have one Super Bowl appearance, losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XL.
Contents |
[edit] Franchise history
On June 15, 1972 Seattle Professional Football Inc., a group of Seattle business and community leaders, announced its intention to acquire an NFL franchise for the city of Seattle, WA.[1] Almost 2 years later, on June 4, 1974, the National Football League awarded the group an expansion franchise and on December 5, 1974 NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle announced the official signing of the franchise agreement by Lloyd W. Nordstrom, representing the Nordstrom family as majority partners for the consortium. Sadly Lloyd Nordstrom would die of a heart attack on January 20, 1976, just months before the Seahawks played their first game.[2]
On March 5, 1975 John Thompson, a former University of Washington executive, was hired as the general manager of the yet-unnamed team. The name Seattle Seahawks was selected on June 17, 1975 after a public naming contest which drew more than 20,000 entries and over 1,700 different names. Thompson recruited and hired Jack Patera, a Minnesota Vikings assistant coach, to be the first head coach of the new team. Patera was introduced as the new head coach at a press conference on January 3, 1976. The expansion draft was held March 30-31, 1976, with Seattle and Tampa Bay alternating picks for 39 rounds selecting unprotected players from the other 26 teams in the league.[3] The Seahawks were awarded the 2nd overall pick in the 1976 draft, a pick they used on defensive tackle Steve Niehaus. The team took the field for the first time on August 1, 1976 in a pre-season game against the San Francisco 49ers in the then brand new Kingdome.
The Seahawks are the only NFL team to switch conferences twice in the post-merger era. The franchise began play in 1976 in the NFC West division but switched conferences with the Buccaneers after one season and joined the AFC West. This realignment was dictated by the league as part of the 1976 expansion plan, so that both expansion teams could play each other twice and every other NFL franchise once during their first two seasons. In 2002, the Seahawks were returned to the NFC West as part of an NFL realignment plan that gave each conference four balanced divisions of four teams each. This realignment restored the AFC West to its initial post-merger roster of original AFL teams Denver, San Diego, Kansas City and Oakland.
Seattle has won four division titles in their franchise history: the 1988 and 1999 AFC West titles, and the 2004 and 2005 NFC West titles. They have won the NFC Championship Game once in 2005, and lost the AFC Championship Game once in 1983. Prior to 2005 Seattle had the longest drought of playoff victories of any NFL team, dating back to the 1984 season. That drought was ended with a 20-10 win over the Washington Redskins in the 2005 playoffs. The all-time Seahawks playoff record is (5-8).
[edit] The Cinderella years (1976-1979)
The Seahawks had their biggest "win" before ever taking the field for a regular season game. On August 26, 1976 the Seahawks traded an eighth round pick in 1977 to the Houston Oilers for Steve Largent. The franchise's first win came on October 17 when they beat their expansion brethren Tampa Bay Buccaneers 13-10 at Tampa Bay. On November 7 they won their first game at home, 30-13 over the Atlanta Falcons. Those were the lone victories in an inaugural 2-12 season. However, the exciting play of Jim Zorn and Largent served notice of the entertainment to come.
The Seahawks hosted the 1977 Pro Bowl in the Kingdome on January 17, 1977, and a sellout crowd of 63,214 saw the AFC beat the NFC 24-14. It was the first sellout in Pro Bowl history.
In a reversal of the cunning that brought them Largent, the Seahawks traded their first round pick in 1977 to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for a first and 3 second round draft picks. Dallas would select Tony Dorsett with the pick obtained from Seattle.
The 1977 season began with four straight losses before Tampa Bay came to town. The Seahawks won "Expansion Bowl II" by a score of 30-23. Two weeks later the season highlight happened on October 30 when quarterback Jim Zorn came back from missing four games with an injury to throw four touchdown passes in a 56-17 win over the Buffalo Bills at the Kingdome. The 1977 Seahawks would finish with a record of 5-9, to establish a then record for wins by a second year franchise.
In 1978, the Seahawks achieved their first winning season with a 9-7 record as WR Steve Largent finished second in the NFL with 1,168 receiving yards, Jack Patera was named NFL Coach of the Year and Jim Zorn was named AFC Player of the Year by the Touchdown Club of Washington, DC. Season highlights included becoming the first team since 1965 to sweep the Raiders (27-7 win at home and a 17-16 win in Oakland).
In 1979, the Seahawks attracted a national following after their first appearance on Monday Night Football on October 29, 1979. After trailing 14-0 against the Atlanta Falcons, Seattle battled back to win 31-28. A fake field goal pass from Zorn to kicker Effren Herrera led Howard Cosell to exclaim "the Seahawks are giving the nation a lesson in entertaining football!" The good vibe was short-lived, as the next week the Seahawks set an NFL record for the lowest total offense in one game (minus 7 yards) in a 24-0 loss to the Los Angeles Rams at the Kingdome. The team rebounded from that embarrassment to win 5 of their last 6 games, including a 30-7 victory over the New York Jets on MNF, to finish with a 9-7 record.
[edit] The Dark Ages (1979-1982)
Great hopes after consecutive winning seasons were crushed in 1980. The Seahawks lost their last 9 games to turn a 4-3 record into a 4-12 season. The collapse does enable the Seahawks to select safety Ken Easley out of UCLA in the first round of the 1981 draft.
In 1981 the Seahawks lost five of their first six games on their way to a 6-10 record. Steve Largent had another stellar season with 1,224 receiving yards. Dave Krieg made his first career start in place of an injured Zorn on December 6, 1981, completing 20 of 26 passes in a 27-23 win over the Jets.
In the strike-shortened season of 1982, the Seahawks fired Patera after losing their first two games. Interim coach Mike McCormack would finish out the rest of the season and the Seahawks compiled a 4-5 record.
[edit] The Chuck Knox Era (1983-1991)
After a disappointing 1982 season (which was shortened because of a players' strike), the Seahawks moved interim coach Mike McCormack back into the front office and hired Chuck Knox as their head coach. In 1983 the Seahawks were battling for a playoff berth with a 6-6 record. Then in week 13, the Seahawks beat the Kansas City Chiefs 51-48 at the Kingdome to start their winning ways. They would win 2 of the next 3 games to earn their first ever playoff berth. In the wild-card playoffs the Seahawks shut down the Denver Broncos and their rookie quarterback John Elway 31-7. The next week at the Miami Orange Bowl the Seahawks drove 66 yards in 5 plays that ended with a game-winning touchdown for the Seahawks' 27-20 victory over the Miami Dolphins and their rookie quarterback Dan Marino. The Seahawks' miracle season ended in the AFC Championship Game as they lost to the eventual Super Bowl XVIII champion Los Angeles Raiders 30-14. Despite the 1983 season ending on a sour note, it was the first breakthrough season for the Seahawks, because Curt Warner was named AFC Rookie Of The Year and Chuck Knox was named AFC Coach Of The Year.
The first game of 1984 proved to be expensive, as Curt Warner suffered a season ending knee injury in the 33-0 win over the Cleveland Browns. Without Warner, the "Ground Chuck" offense became "Air Knox". Led by QB Dave Krieg, the Seahawks enjoyed a then franchise record 8 game winning streak and a 12-4 record. A season ending 2 game losing streak cost them the division title and forced a wild card game against Oakland. The Seahawks rode running back Dan Doornink and prevailed 13-7 in the team's last playoff victory for 21 years. The Hawks fell to the Super Bowl bound Miami Dolphins 31-10 in the divisional playoffs.
The 1985 season was one of the most frustrating in the team's history. The team was consistently inconsistent, winning 2 games in a row and then losing 2 games in a row throughout the season. A final game loss at home to Denver proved to be a microcosm of the season, as the Seahawks squandered an early lead and then had a potentially game-tying field goal attempt hit the upright as time expired.
The 1986 season is generally considered one of the "ones that got away". A 5-2 start was ruined by a 4 game losing streak. Improbably, the team then went on a roll that saw them win their final 5 games in convincing fashion. Included in the run were a 31-14 road victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving, a 37-0 shutout of the Oakland Raiders on Monday Night Football and a season ending 41-16 victory over the Super Bowl bound Denver Broncos. Despite a 10-6 record, the Seahawks failed to qualify for the playoffs. They were the only team to beat both Super Bowl teams (Denver and the New York Giants) in 1986.
1987 began with great expectations and predictions of a Super Bowl berth. The Seahawks had won a lottery for the first pick in a supplemental draft, and they selected Brian Bosworth, the 1985 collegiate Dick Butkus award winner. The 1987 team, like Bosworth, never did live up to expectations. After an early season 24 day labor dispute, the team qualified for the playoffs as a wild card with a 9-6 record. A 23-20 overtime loss to the Houston Oilers in the playoffs was marred by a controversial call nullifying an apparent Houston fumble just prior to the game-winning kick.
In 1988, the team won its first AFC West division title, beating the Los Angeles Raiders 43-37 on the road to finish with a 9-7 record. The Seahawks lost 21-13 in the divisional playoffs to the Super Bowl bound Cincinnati Bengals. Also in 1988 Ken Behring purchased the club from the original owners, the Nordstrom Family. A year later he would name former Los Angeles Raiders head coach Tom Flores team president and general manager.
[edit] The lost years (1992-1998)
These years would prove to be the most tumultuous of the franchise's history so far. 1991 would be Chuck Knox's last year as head coach of the Seahawks. After finishing with a 7-9 record, he resigned to rejoin the Los Angeles Rams.
Team president/GM Tom Flores assumed the head coaching duties for the 1992 season. Longtime quarterback Dave Krieg left in 1992 and was replaced by three different quarterbacks (first-round pick Dan McGwire, Stan Gelbaugh and Kelly Stouffer). 1992 would also prove to be the Seahawks' worst year ever when they finished 2-14. The only bright spot for the 1992 season was defensive tackle Cortez Kennedy being declared NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
In 1993, the Seahawks drafted Rick Mirer out of the University of Notre Dame with the second pick in the draft, in hopes that he would be able to be the franchise's quarterback of the future. Mirer looked to be on his way to stardom as he shared the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Year Award with former college teammate Jerome Bettis in his first season. The honeymoon soon turned sour as his inconsistent play in the following three seasons led to several benchings and eventually his departure in a trade to the Chicago Bears following the 1996 season.
The Seahawks moved to nearby Husky Stadium on the campus of the University of Washington for 3 games after an acoustic tile fell inside the Kingdome in 1994. Upon returning to the Kingdome, the team finished with a 6-10 record; Tom Flores resigned his coaching position and returned to his general manager duties. He was replaced by University of Miami coach Dennis Erickson.
In January 1996, Seahawks owner Ken Behring announced that he was moving the franchise to Los Angeles, where the team would play at Anaheim Stadium. Behring claimed safety concerns (specifically the building's structural integrity in the event of an earthquake) as his reason for breaking the team's lease with King County. However, seismologists found Behring's claims to be unproven. Also, the Los Angeles area is even more earthquake-prone than Seattle. Although Behring moved the team's operations to Anaheim, his plans for a full move were scuttled when lawyers discovered that the Seahawks were locked into the Kingdome through 2005. Having seen his effort to permanently relocate the franchise thwarted, Behring decided to sell. A potential buyer was found in Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen who reached an agreement to buy the club but only if a new stadium would be built. After funding a special state-wide election for stadium financing, a new stadium for the Seahawks was passed and Allen purchased the team.
Under the new ownership, Bob Whitsitt was installed as President of the club and big name players such as Chad Brown, Warren Moon, and Ricky Watters were brought in raising hopes in Seattle that a page had been turned. What followed was more mediocrity as the club in 1997 and 1998 failed to get over the .500 mark with consecutive 8-8 marks. This led to head coach Dennis Erickson ultimately being fired at the end of the 1998 season. This period was not without its memorable moments, specifically Vinny Testaverde's "Phantom Touchdown" in the final regular season game; a legendary officiating error that became a primary factor in the NFL's reinstatement of instant replay. The officiating error resulted in a seventh loss of the season and ended the hopes of a playoff berth and signaled an end of the Dennis Erickson era.
The NFL officially apologized for the officiating error. Referee Phil Luckett who made the touchdown call, was later reassigned to back judge, and is also famous for another controversial issue during the Thanksgiving game, November 26 involving the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Detroit Lions.
[edit] The Mike Holmgren Era (1999-Present)
[edit] 1999-2001
In 1999, the Seahawks made their biggest coaching hire with the appointment of Green Bay Packer head coach Mike Holmgren. Coming off his success with the Green Bay Packers, Holmgren was given the dual-role of General Manager and Head Coach. The hiring brought instant credibility to the franchise as under Holmgren's guidance, the Seahawks won their second division title and first playoff berth since 1988. That year included a memorable 24-7 win over Holmgren's former team, the Green Bay Packers on Monday Night Football but despite a strong 8-2 start, the Seahawks lost 5 of their last 6 to close out the regular season. This skid continued on into the playoffs as the Seahawks lost the final game in the Kingdome 20-17 to Dan Marino and the Miami Dolphins in the AFC Wild Card round. For the 2000-2001 seasons the Seahawks moved to Husky Stadium while their new stadium was being built. The Seahawks drafted RB Shaun Alexander in 2000 draft as their RB of the future. The move to Husky Stadium could not stop the Seahawks from halting their decline from the previous season as they finished a disappointing 6-10.
Holmgren then traded for Green Bay Packers backup QB Matt Hasselbeck and made him the starting QB. But Hasselbeck struggled in the first half of the season compiling a 5-7 record. Hasselbeck was replaced by former Super Bowl winner Trent Dilfer who steadied the ship and led the Seahawks to a 9-7 finish and a narrow playoff miss in the team's final season in the AFC.
[edit] 2002
Big changes were afoot in 2002. When the Seahawks left Husky Stadium at the end of the 2001 season they were part of the AFC West, but when they moved into Seahawks Stadium they were now part of the NFC West. This was because divisional reshuffle caused by the addition of the expansion team, the Houston Texans, and to keep traditional divisional rivalries, such as Dallas-Washington despite the Cowboys being further west than St. Louis. The year would prove to be one of ups-and-downs as Dilfer was injured in Week 7 and Hasselbeck became the starting QB. He would end the season on a 3 game winning streak, and Shaun Alexander led the NFC with 18 touchdowns. But the team finished with a 7-9 record and rumblings began over whether Holmgren was up to having dual roles as de facto General Manager and head coach.
[edit] 2003
Before the 2003 season, Holmgren, under pressure from fans and media alike, relinquished his general manager duties so that he could concentrate exclusively on coaching the team. This move was especially hard for Holmgren as one of the factors for him leaving Green Bay was to step out of the shadow of long-time Packer-GM Ron Wolf. With their head coach focused solely on the coaching side, the Seahawks squeezed into the playoffs as a wild card with a 10-6 record and impressively an 8-0 mark at home. The Seahawks would face Holmgren's former team, the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. The Seahawks came out strong but blew several opportunities (including a crucial endzone drop by receiver Koren Robinson) and were forced to go to overtime. It was during the coin-flip where quarterback Hasselbeck made the prediction "we want the ball, and we're going to score." Unfortunately for Seattle, an Al Harris interception returned for a TD sealed the Seahawks fate and they were out of the playoffs again.
[edit] 2004
The Seahawks entered the 2004 season with lofty expectations. Publications such as Sports Illustrated predicted the team would represent the NFC in the Super Bowl XXXIX. The Seahawks started off strongly going 3-0 including a 34-0 shutout of San Francisco at home. The season would take a dramatic turn when the Seahawks blew a 27-10 lead late in the fourth quarter to the division-rival St. Louis Rams, eventually losing in overtime. Leading the game 27-10 late into the fourth quarter, the Rams rallied to 27-17 with 5:34 remaining on the clock. This was followed by a 41 TD pass to Kevin Curtis. The Seahawks fail to convert on a critical third down leaving 1:14 on the game clock. The rams score on the ensuing possession with a field goal pushing the game to overtime. The rams win in overtime with a stunning 52 yard touchdown pass to Shaun McDonald. The Seahawks never fully recovered from the shocking loss and went 6-6 the rest of the way.
The Seahawks had another memorable fourth quarter meltdown against the Cowboys on Monday night football. Seahawks leading 39-28 late into the fourth quarter, Testaverde completed a touchdown pass to Keyshawn Johnson leaving 1:45 on the game clock. Jason Witten recovered the ensuing onside kick, Julius Jones was featured in the final 57 yard game winning drive to complete a game high 198 rushing yards for the night.
The Seahawks would win their first NFC West title with a 28-26 win over the Atlanta Falcons in the final regular season game. The celebrations were overshadowed by bickering between Holmgren and RB Shaun Alexander, due to the fact that Alexander missed the 2004-2005 rushing title by a single yard to New York Jets RB Curtis Martin. The Seahawks ended their 2004 season by losing to the Rams a third time that year with a 27-20 loss in the NFC Wild Card game in Seattle, the first playoff game at Qwest Field.
[edit] 2005
[edit] Super Bowl XL
Seattle fell short in its bid for its first NFL title, losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers at Super Bowl XL in Detroit, Michigan on February 5, 2006 by a score of 21-10. Although the Seahawks outgained the Steelers, 396 yards to 339, Pittsburgh won on the strength of three big plays converted for touchdowns. Seattle, on the other hand, was plagued by controversial penalties, dropped passes, poor clock management, injuries, and a game-ending interception on a drive deep into Pittsburgh territory.[1]
The controversial calls made during Super Bowl XL were met with criticism from both fans and members of the media, many of whom suggested that the officials had wrongly nullified several key plays made by the Seattle offense. Jason Whitlock, writing for the Kansas City Star, encapsulated many views when he wrote the day after the game, "Leavy and his crew ruined Super Bowl XL. Am I the only one who would like to hear them defend their incompetence?" [2] In response to the criticisms, NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said in a statement, "The game was properly officiated, including, as in most NFL games, some tight plays that produced disagreement about the calls made by the officials." [3] The game ended a playoff season that was plagued by complaints about officiating.[4]
Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren fueled the debate upon returning to Seattle, when he said during a Seahawks rally, "We knew it was going to be tough going up against the Pittsburgh Steelers. I didn't know we were going to have to play the guys in the striped shirts as well." [5] Al Michaels, commented during a Sunday Night Football game a few months later, "The fact that Holmgren was not fined for that statement speaks volumes to me." Michaels explained he was alluding to Holmgren’s need to “blow off steam,” but also suggested a perceived admission by the NFL that something went wrong in that game. [6]
[edit] 2006
- Further information: 2006 Seattle Seahawks season
[edit] Logo and uniforms
When the Seahawks debuted in 1976, the team's logo was a stylized royal blue and forest green hawk's head based on Northwestern tribal art. The helmet and pants were silver while the home uniforms were royal blue with white, blue and green arm stripes. The road uniform was white with blue and green arm stripes.
In 1983, coinciding with the arrival of Chuck Knox as coach, the uniforms were updated slightly. The striping on the arms now incorporated the Seahawks logo, and the TV numbers moved onto the shoulders. Helmet facemasks changed from silver to blue.
In 2002, both the logo and the uniforms were heavily redesigned. The colors were modified to a lighter "Seahawks Blue", a darker "Seahawks Navy" and neon green piping. The helmets also were changed from silver to the lighter "Seahawks Blue" color after a fan poll was conducted. At first, the team had planned to wear silver helmets at home and blue helmets on the road, but since NFL rules forbid the use of multiple helmets, the team held the fan poll to decide which color helmet would be worn. Due to the reflectivity of the paint used, the appearance of the helmets' color can vary widely between gray, navy, and turquiose, depending on the lighting. The team has usually worn all blue at home and all white on the road since 2003, but sometimes, the team wears blue-on-white combo, or white-on-blue combo.
In 2005, there were rumors of a primarily neon green Seahawks jersey to be used as an alternate. However, this jersey never appeared.
The Seahawks are one of two teams to never wear their white jerseys at home, along with the Oakland Raiders.
 Home Uniform |
 Away Uniform |
 Alternate Home Uniform |
 Alternate Away Uniform |
[edit] Season-by-season records
Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties
| Season | W | L | T | Finish | Playoff Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 2 | 12 | 0 | 5th NFC West | -- |
| 1977 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 4th AFC West | -- |
| 1978 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 2nd AFC West | -- |
| 1979 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 3rd AFC West | -- |
| 1980 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 5th AFC West | -- |
| 1981 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 5th AFC West | -- |
| 1982 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 10th AFC Conf. | -- |
| 1983 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 2nd AFC West | Won Wild Card Playoffs (Broncos) Won Divisional Playoffs (Dolphins) Lost Conference Championship (L.A. Raiders) |
| 1984 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 2nd AFC West | Won Wild Card Playoffs (L.A. Raiders) Lost Divisional Playoffs (Dolphins) |
| 1985 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 3rd AFC West | -- |
| 1986 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 2nd AFC West | -- |
| 1987 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 2nd AFC West | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (H. Oilers) |
| 1988 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 1st AFC West | Lost Divisional Playoffs (Bengals) |
| 1989 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 4th AFC West | -- |
| 1990 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 3rd AFC West | -- |
| 1991 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 4th AFC West | -- |
| 1992 | 2 | 14 | 0 | 5th AFC West | -- |
| 1993 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 5th AFC West | -- |
| 1994 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 5th AFC West | -- |
| 1995 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 3rd AFC West | -- |
| 1996 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 4th AFC West | -- |
| 1997 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 3rd AFC West | -- |
| 1998 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 3rd AFC West | -- |
| 1999 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 1st AFC West | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Dolphins) |
| 2000 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 4th AFC West | -- |
| 2001 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 2nd AFC West | -- |
| 2002 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 3rd NFC West | -- |
| 2003 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 2nd NFC West | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Packers) |
| 2004 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 1st NFC West | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Rams) |
| 2005 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 1st NFC West | Won Divisional playoffs (Redskins) Won Conference Championship (Panthers) Lost Super Bowl XL (Steelers) |
| *2006 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 1st NFC West | -- |
| Totals | 240 | 253 | 0 | (1976-2006, including NFL playoffs) | |
* = Current Standing
[edit] Team records
[edit] Career
- Most Blocked Punts: Kerry Justin (3)
- Most Blocked Field Goals: Joe Nash (8)
- Most Blocked PAT's: Mike White (3)
- Most Blocked Kicks (FGs and PATs): Joe Nash (10)
- Most Combined Kick Returns: Charlie Rogers (207)
- Most Kick Return Yards: Charlie Rogers (4,139)
- Most Kick Returns for Touchdowns: Joey Galloway (4)
- Most Combined Attempts: Chris Warren (1,943)
- Most Combined Yards Gained: Steve Largent (13,396)
- Most Forced Fumbles: Jacob Green (28)
- Most Fumbles: Dave Krieg (108)
- Most Fumbles for Touchdown: Chad Brown (3)
- Most Fumbles Recoverd, Own and Opponent: Dave Krieg (27)
- Most Own Fumbles Recovered: Dave Krieg (27)
- Most Opponents Fumbles Recovered: Jacob Green (17)
- Most Interceptions: Dave Brown (50)
- Most Interceptions Returned for Touchdown: Dave Brown (5)
- Most Interception Yards Returned: Dave Brown (643)
- Most Kickoff Returns: Steve Broussard (165)
- Most Kickoff Return Yards Gained: Steve Broussard (3,900)
- Highest Kickoff Return Average: Charlie Rogers (23.99)
- Highest Passer Rating: Matt Hasselbeck (86.7)
- Most Passes Attempted: Dave Krieg (3,576)
- Most Passes Completed: Dave Krieg (2,096)
- Highest Completion Percentage: Matt Hasselbeck (61.08)
- Most Passing Yards Gained: Dave Krieg (26,132)
- Most Games, 400 or more Yards Passing: Matt Hasselbeck (5)
- Most Games, 300 or more Yards Passing: Matt Hasselbeck (12)
- Highest Passing Average Gain: Dave Krieg (7.31)
- Most Games, 5 or More TD Passes: Dave Krieg (3)
- Most Touchdown Passes: Dave Krieg (195)
- Most Games, 4 or More TD Passes: Dave Krieg (7)
- Highest Percentage, Touchdown Passes: Trent Dilfer (5.74)
- Most Passes Had Intercepted: Dave Krieg (148)
- Lowest Percentage, Passes Had Intercepted: Brock Huard (1.92)
- Most Punt Returns: Chris Warren (94)
- Most Punt Return Yards Gained: Bobby Joe Edmonds (1,010)
- Most Punt Returns for Touchdown: Joey Galloway (4)
- Highest Punt Return Yard Average: Charlie Rogers (12.67)
- Most Punt Return Fair Catches: Bobby Engram (68)
- Most Punts: Rick Tuten (554)
- Highest Punt Yard Average: Rick Tuten (43.8)
- Most Punts Inside the 20: Rick Tuten (147)
- Most Punt Touchbacks: Rick Tuten (45)
- Most Punts Had Blocked: Herman Weaver (6)
- Most Pass Receptions: Steve Largent (819) 3rd in NFL History
- Most Pass Receiving Yards: Steve Largent (13,089) 7th in NFL History
- Most Games, 100 or More Receiving Yards: Steve Largent (40)
- Most Receiving Touchdowns: Steve Largent (100)
- Highest Yard Average Per Reception: Daryl Turner (18.53)
- Most Rushing Attempts: Shaun Alexander (1,717)
- Most Rushing Yards Gained: Shaun Alexander (7,817)
- Most Games, 100 or More Yards Rushing: Shaun Alexander (33)
- Highest Rushing Average Gain: Steve Broussard (5.51)
- Most Rushing Touchdowns: Shaun Alexander (89)
- Most Sacks: Jacob Green (97.5)
- Most Points After Touchdown Attempted: Norm Johnson (339)
- Most Points After Touchdown: Norm Johnson (333)
- Most Two-Point Conversion Attempts: Chris Warren (5)
- Most Two-Point Conversions Made: Lamar Smith (4)
- Most Field Goals Attempted: Norm Johnson (228)
- Most Field Goals: Norm Johnson (159)
- Highest Field Goal %: Todd Peterson (81.81)
- Most Field Goal Attempts, 50 or More Yards: Norm Johnson (26)
- Most Field Goals, 50 or More Yards: Norm Johnson (10)
- Most Safeties: Rod Stephens (2)
- Most Touchdowns: Shaun Alexander (102)
- Most Points: Norm Johnson (810)
- Most Seasons: Joe Nash (15)
- Most Games Played: Joe Nash (218)
- Most Consecutive Games Played: Joe Nash (125)
- Most Games Started: Steve Largent (197)
- Most Consecutive Games Started: Cortez Kennedy (100)
- Most Tackles: Eugene Robinson (984)
[edit] Season
- Most Blocked Field Goals: Joe Nash, 3 (1989)
- Most Blocked PATs: Mike White, 2 (1981)
- Most Combined Kick Returns: Charlie Rogers, 92 (2000)
- Most Kick Return Yards: Charlie Rogers, 1,992 (2000)
- Most Kick Return Touchdowns: Joey Galloway, 2 (1998)
- Most Combined Attempts: Shaun Alexander, 385 (2005)
- Most Combined Attempts(Rookie): Curt Warner, 379 (1983)
- Most Combined Net Yards Gained: Charlie Rogers, 1,992 (2000)
- Most Combined Net Yards Gained(Rookie): Curt Warner, 1,774 (1983)
- Most Fumbles: Dave Krieg, 18 (1989)
- Most Opponents' Fumbles Recovered: Nesby Glasgow, 5 (1989)
- Most Interceptions By, Rookie: Michael Boulware, 5 (2004)
- Most Interception Yards Returned: Dave Brown, 179 (1984)
- Most Kickoff Returns: Charlie Rogers, 60 (2000)
- Most Kickoff Return Yards Gained: Charlie Rogers, 1,629 (2000)
- Most Kickoff Return Yards, Rookie: Rufus Crawford, 829 (1978)
- Highest Kickoff Return Average: Steve Broussard, 26.93 (1998)
- Most Kickoff Return Touchdowns, Rookie: Maurice Morris, 1 (2002)
- Lowest %, Passes Had Intercepted: Rick Mirer, 1.84 (1994)
- Highest Pass Rating: Matt Hasselbeck, 98.2 (2005)
- Highest Pass Rating, Rookie: Rick Mirer, 67.00 (1993)
- Most Passes Attempted: Dave Krieg, 532 (1985)
- Most Passes Attempted, Rookie: Rick Mirer, 486 (1993)
- Most Passes Completed, Rookie: Rick Mirer, 274 (1993)
- Highest Completion Percentage: Dave Krieg, 65.61 (1991)
- Highest Completion %, Rookie: Rick Mirer, 56.38 (1993)
- Most Passing Yards Gained: Matt Hasselbeck, 3,841 (2003)
- Most Passing Yards Gained, Rookie: Rick Mirer, 2,833 (1993)
- Most Games, 300 or More Yards Passing: Matt Hasselbeck, 4 (2002 and 2003)
- Highest Passing Average Gain: Dave Krieg, 8.8 (1983)
- Highest Passing Average Gain, Rookie: Jim Zorn, 5.85 (1976)
- Most Touchdown Passes: Dave Krieg, 32 (1984)
- Most Games, 4 or More TD Passes: Dave Krieg, 3 (1985)
- Highest %, TD Passes: Dave Krieg, 7.89 (1988)
- Highest %, TD Passes, Rookie: Jim Zorn, 2.73 (1976)
- Most Passes Had Intercepted: Jim Zorn, 27 (1976)
- Lowest %, Passes Had Intercepted, Rookie: Rick Mirer, 3.5
- Most Punt Returns: Will Lewis, 41 (1980)
- Most Punt Returns, Rookie: Joey Galloway, 36 (1995)
- Most Punt Return Yards Gained: Bobby Joe Edmonds, 419 (1986)
- Most Punt Return Yards Gained, Rookie: Bobby Joe Edmonds, 419 (1986)
- Highest Punt Return Average, Rookie: Charlie Rogers, 14.45 (1999)
- Most Punt Returns for Touchdown: Joey Galloway, 2 (1998)
- Highest Punt Return Average: Charlie Rogers, 14.45 (1999)
- Most Punt Return Fair Catches: Chris Warren, 25 (1992)
- Most Punts: Rick Tuten, 108 (1992) (Tied for 3rd in NFL History)
- Most Punts, Rookie: Rick Engles, 80 (1976)
- Highest Punting Average: Rick Tuten, 45 (1995)
- Highest Punting Average, Rookie: Ruben Rodriguez, 40 (1987)
- Highest Punting Net Average: Rick Tuten, 38.7 (1992)
- Most Punts Inside the 20: Jeff Feagles, 34 (1999)
- Most Punting Touchbacks: Jeff Feagles, 12 (1998)
- Most Punts Had Blocked: Herman Weaver, 3 (1979)
- Most Pass Receptions: Darrell Jackson, 87 (2004)
- Most Pass Receptions, Rookie: Joey Galloway, 67 (1995)
- Most Receiving Yards Gained: Steve Largent, 1,287 (1985)
- Most Receiving Yards, Rookie: Joey Galloway, 1,039 (1995)
- Most Games, 100 or More Yards, Receiving: Steve Largent, 6 (1979)
- Most Receiving Touchdowns: Daryl Turner, 13 (1985)
- Highest Average Per Reception: Steve Largent, 18.74 (1979)
- Most Receiving Touchdowns, Rookie: Daryl Turner, 10 (1984)
- Most Rushing Attempts: Shaun Alexander, 370 (2005)
- Most Rushing Attempts, Rookie: Curt Warner, 335 (1983)
- Most Rushing Yards Gained: Shaun Alexander, 1,880 (2005)
- Most Rushing Yards Gained, Rookie: Curt Warner, 1,449 (1983)
- Most Games, 100 or More Yards Rushing: Shaun Alexander, 11 (2005)
- Highest Rushing Average Gain: Shaun Alexander, 5.08 (2005)
- Most Rushing Touchdowns: Shaun Alexander, 27 (2005)
- Most Rushing Touchdowns, Rookie: Curt Warner, 13 (1983)
- Most Sacks: Michael Sinclair, 16.5 (1998)
- Most Points: Shaun Alexander, 168 (2005)
- Most Points, Rookie: Josh Brown, 114 (2003)
- Most Touchdowns: Shaun Alexander, 28 (2005) (NFL Record)
- Most Touchdowns, Rookie: Curt Warner, 14 (1983)
- Most Points After Touchdown Attempted: Josh Brown, 57 (2005)
- Most Points After Touchdown: Josh Brown, 56 (2005)
- Most Points After Touchdown, No Misses: Josh Brown, 48 (2003)
- Most Two-Point Conversions Made: Lamar Smith, 3 (1996)
- Most Field Goals Attempted: Todd Peterson, 40 (1999)
- Most Field Goals: Todd Peterson, 34 (1999)
- Most Field Goals, Rookie: John Kasay, 25 (1991)
- Highest Field Goal %: Josh Brown, 92 (2004)
- Most Safeties: Rod Stephens, 2 (1993) (ties NFL record)
- Most Tackles: Terry Beason, 153 (1978)
[edit] Players of note
[edit] Current players
[edit] Pro Football Hall of Famers
- Carl Eller
- Franco Harris
- Steve Largent (also a former member of the United States House of Representatives)
- Warren Moon
Note: Although Mike McCormack served as head coach, president, and general manager for the Seahawks, he is only listed in the Pro Football Hall of Fame for his contributions as a tackle for the New York Yanks and the Cleveland Browns. [4]
[edit] Retired numbers
- 12 "Fans/The Twelfth Man", dedicated to Seahawks fans
- 80* Steve Largent
- *Note: Brought out of retirement for a portion of the 2004 season for Jerry Rice, after Largent agreed to Rice's request.
[edit] Seahawks Ring of Honor
- 22 Dave Brown, CB, 1976 - 86 (Inducted 1992)
- 45 Kenny Easley, S, 1981 - 87 (Inducted 2002)
- 79 Jacob Green, DE, 1980 - 91 (Inducted 1995)
- Pete Gross, the "original" voice of the Seahawks, 1976 - 92, died in December, 1992 due to cancer (Inducted November, 1992 just two days before his passing)
- 96 Cortez Kennedy, DT, 1990-2000 (Inducted 2006)
- Chuck Knox, Head Coach, 1983 - 91 (Inducted 2005)
- 17 Dave Krieg, QB, 1980 - 91 (Inducted 2004)
- 80 Steve Largent, WR, 1976 - 89 (Inducted 1989)
- 28 Curt Warner, RB, 1983 - 89 (Inducted 1993, not to be confused with later quarterback Kurt Warner)
- 10 Jim Zorn, QB, 1976 - 84 (Inducted 1991)
[edit] Other notable alumni
- Sam Adams, DT
- Michael Bates, WR/KR
- Autry Beamon, S
- Jay Bellamy, DB
- Brian Blades, WR
- Brian Bosworth, LB
- Chad Brown, LB
- Theotis Brown, RB
- Jeff Bryant, DE/DT
- Jeff Chadwick, WR
- Mike Curtis, LB
- Phillip Daniels, DE
- Sean Dawkins, WR
- Dan Doornink, RB
- Derrick Fenner, RB
- John Friesz, QB
- Joey Galloway, WR
- Stan Gelbaugh, QB
- Ahman Green, RB
- Dwayne Harper, CB
- John Harris, S
- Efren Herrera, K
- Norm Johnson, K
- Joe Jurevicius, WR
- Tommy Kane, WR
- Cortez Kennedy, DT
- Levon Kirkland, LB
- Jon Kitna, QB
- Rian Lindell, K
- Ken Lucas, DB
- Kevin Mawae, C
- Derrick Mayes, WR
- Sam McCullum, WR
- Warren Moon, QB
- Paul Moyer, S
- Joe Nash, DT
- Steve Niehaus, DT
- Chike Okeafor, DE
- Rufus Porter, LB
- Steve Raible, WR
- John Randle, DE/DT
- Jerry Rice, WR
- Eugene Robinson, S
- Koren Robinson, WR
- David Sims, RB
- Michael Sinclair, DE
- Paul Skansi, WR
- Sherman Smith, RB
- Shawn Springs, DB
- Mike Tice, TE
- Reggie Tongue, DB
- Manu Tuiasosopo, DT
- Chris Warren, RB
- Ricky Watters, RB
- Cornell Webster, CB/S
- Darryl Williams, S
- John L. Williams, RB
- Fredd Young, LB
[edit] Head coaches
See main article Seattle Seahawks Head Coaches
- Jack Patera: 1976 - 82
- Mike McCormack: 1982
- Chuck Knox: 1983 - 91
- Tom Flores: 1992 - 94
- Dennis Erickson: 1995 - 98
- Mike Holmgren: 1999 - present
[edit] Current Staff
- Head Coach - Mike Holmgren
- Offensive Coordinator - Gil Haskell
- Defensive Coordinator - John Marshall
- Special Teams Coach - Bob Casullo
- Quarterbacks Coach - Jim Zorn
- Running Backs Coach - Stump Mitchell
- Wide Receivers Coach - Nolan Cromwell
- Tight Ends Coach - Jim Lind
- Offensive Line Coach - Bill Laveroni
- Assistant Offensive Line - Keith Gilbertson
- Special Projects/Defense - Ray Rhodes
- Defensive Line Coach - Dwaine Board
- Linebackers Coach - Zerick Rollins
- Defensive Backs Coach - Teryl Austin
- Defensive Assistant/Secondary - Larry Marmie
- Special Teams Assistant - John Jamison
[edit] Team owners
- John Nordstrom: 1976 - 88
- Ken Behring: 1988 - 96
- Paul Allen: 1997 - present
[edit] Trivia
- The Seahawks conduct summer training camp at Eastern Washington University in Cheney, just southwest of Spokane. During the Seahawks' first ten seasons (1976-1985), summer training camps were held in Cheney. When the team's present headquarters in Kirkland were completed in 1986, the Seahawks held camp at home for the next eleven seasons (1986-1996), staying in the dormitories of the adjacent Northwest College. Under Dennis Erickson the team returned to the hotter and more isolated Cheney in 1997, where they will hold training camp through 2007. The Seahawks are scheduled to move their summer training camp back to suburban Seattle in 2008, when their new Renton complex is completed.
- As a tribute to the raucus fans that made the Kingdome the loudest stadium in the NFL the Seahawks retired the number 12 on December 15, 1984. Since then #12 Jerseys have been sold by the team and worn by Seahawk fans, often with the name "Fan" on the back. The Seahawks also have a ceremony before each home game where a flag bearing the #12 is raised by a prominent individual. In the 2005 season the fans were again making a difference in games and were recognized with the presentation of a special game ball for their efforts in a game against the New York Giants, a game in which the Giants committed 11 false start penalties due in large part to the crowd noise.[7]
- The team was in a legal limbo for a while between the 2005 and 2006 season with Texas A&M University over the use of the phrase "12th Man". Both parties settled out of court with Seattle agreeing to acknowledge ownership rights to the 12th Man slogan to A&M. In return the Seahawks are able to use the phrase as originally planned. [5]
- While Blitz has been the Seahawks' official mascot since 1998, Taima the augur hawk debuted in September of 2006. Taima leads the team out of the tunnel before the game and circles the stadium before returning to his handler, Dave Knutson.
- On November 6, 2006, Seahawks backup QB Seneca Wallace threw the 20,000th completion in Monday Night Football history late in the first half. The pass was caught by Deion Branch for a gain of 11 yards.
[edit] Broadcasters
The Seahawks have been a fixture on KIRO 710 AM since the team's inception in 1976. Pete Gross originally called the play-by-play and was inducted into the team's "Ring of Honor" in 1992. He succumbed to cancer days later. Currently, Steve Raible calls the games with color commentary from Warren Moon. Raible was an original member of the team, playing wide receiver from 1976-1981. He has been involved with the Seahawks ever since. The radio network is geographically one of the largest in North America. As of 2006, there are 47 affiliates in five states -- Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington -- and the Canadian province of British Columbia.
Network contracts dictate television broadcasts for all teams in the NFL, except for pre-season. As an NFC team, the Seahawks play Sunday road games on Fox. Fox also airs Sunday afternoon home games when the opponent is from the NFC. The team will turn up on CBS only when playing an AFC team at Qwest Field. Special games, such as Monday Night Football (ESPN) and Sunday Night Football (NBC) will air on the networks that own the rights to those particular broadcasts. (See NFL on television for more information)
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Seattle Post Intelligencer Article. Retrieved on 6 February 2006.
- ^ Kansas City Star Article. Retrieved on 6 February 2006.
- ^ Seattle Post Intelligencer Article. Retrieved on 8 February 2006.
- ^ Fox Sports Article. Retrieved on 23 February 2006.
- ^ Seattle Post Intelligencer Article. Retrieved on 8 February 2006.
- ^ Fox Sports Blog. Retrieved on 21 August 2006.
- ^ Seattle Times Story. Retrieved on 29 November 2005.
[edit] External links
- Seattle Seahawks official web site
- Pro Football Hall of Fame - Seattle Seahawks history page
- Pro Football Hall of Fame - 1976 NFL expansion history page
- Seahawks History - Sports Encyclopedia
- Online Encyclopedia of Washington State History - Origins of Seattle Seahawks franchise
[edit] News Coverage
| Seattle Seahawks Head Coaches |
|---|
| Patera • McCormack • Knox • Flores • Erickson • Holmgren |
