Seattle Seahawks
| Seattle Seahawks | |||
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| Established 1976 Play in Seattle, Washington | |||
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| League/conference affiliations | |||
National Football League (1976–present)
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Current uniform | |||
| Team colors | Seahawks Blue, Seahawks Navy, Seahawks Bright Green | ||
| Mascot | Blitz | ||
| Personnel | |||
| Owner(s) | Paul Allen | ||
| Head coach | Mike Holmgren | ||
| 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 American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They currently belong to 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. The Seattle Seahawks will make their first Super Bowl appearance in Super Bowl XL against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Franchise history
Seattle is the only NFL team to play in both the AFC and NFC championship games. The Seahawks were defeated by the Los Angeles Raiders in the 1983 AFC championship game.
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. After one season, Seattle switched conferences with Tampa Bay 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 also allowed the NFL to restore the NFC East and the AFC West to their original post-merger rosters. The original AFC West teams (Broncos, Chargers, Chiefs and Raiders) were original AFL franchises and the realignment preserved those natural rivalries. 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. The team set two franchise records with an 11-game winning streak and 13 regular-season wins in 2005.
Before 2005, Seattle had the longest drought since its last playoff win of any NFL team, going back to the 1984 season. That drought was ended with a 20-10 victory over the Washington Redskins in the 2005 playoffs.
The expansion years (1976-1982)
The franchise's first win came on October 17 when they beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 13-10 at Tampa Bay. On November 7 they won their first home game in a 30-13 victory over the Atlanta Falcons. The 1977 season highlight happened on October 30 when quarterback Jim Zorn came back from an injury to throw four touchdown passes in a 56-17 win over the Buffalo Bills at the Kingdome. In 1978, the Seahawks acheived their first winning season with a 9-7 record as WR Steve Largent finished second in the NFL with 1,168 receiving yards and Jack Patera was named NFL Coach of the Year. In 1979, the Seahawks set the NFL record for the lowest total offense (minus 7 yards) in a 24-0 loss to the Los Angeles Rams at the Kingdome. However, the team rebounded from that embarrassment to finish the season with a 9-7 record. In 1981, when 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. In the strike-shortened season of 1982, the Seahawks fired their first coach, Jack 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.
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 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. 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.
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.
In 1993 the Seahawks drafted Rick Mirer, with the second pick in the draft, in hopes that he would be able to be the franchise's quarterback of the future. After struggling in Seattle for 3 seasons he was traded to the Chicago Bears after 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. Grassroots groups like Save Our Seahawks soon formed to pressure the NFL, Behring, and local officials to stop the move. This grassroots effort succeeded when Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen purchased an option to buy the team. Allen bought the team in 1997 after funding a special election on stadium funding. The other Kingdome tenants, the Seattle Mariners, were building a brand new stadium, and the Seahawks felt there was no good reason to remain in the decrepit Kingdome.
As a result of the change in ownership and managament, Tom Flores resigned in 1998 and was replaced by Bob Whitsitt. Dennis Erickson was fired at the end of the 1998 season after losing to the New York Jets and missing the playoffs. The "Phantom Touchdown" game was decided by a legendary officiating error that became a primary factor in the NFL's reinstatement of instant replay.
The Mike Holmgren Era (1999-Present)
In 1999 the voters approved the ballot measure to allow the Seahawks to build a brand new stadium to replace the aging Kingdome. With the addition of a new stadium, new head coach and general manager, Mike Holmgren, a new era began for the Seahawks. Holmgren would lead the Seahawks to a division title and to the playoffs in his first year there. But they lost 20-17 to Dan Marino and the Miami Dolphins after leading the game 17-13 in the fourth quarter. For the 2000-2001 seasons the Seahawks moved back 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. But QB Jon Kitna was let go after the 2000 season and a 6-10 record.
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. QB Trent Dilfer was signed and won his first four games and the Seahawks finished the 2001 season with a 9-7 record but didn't make the playoffs.
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 of the addition of the expansion team Houston Texans and to achieve parity among the divisions. 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 lead the NFC with 18 touchdowns. But the team finished with a 7-9 record.
Before the 2003 season, Holmgren decided to step down as general manager so that he could concentrate exclusively on improving the team. The Seahawks responded by carrying over the momentum from 2002 by finishing with a 10-6 record and a perfect record at home of 8-0. They went to the playoffs where they would face Holmgren's former team, the Green Bay Packers. The playoff game would go into overtime, where quarterback Hasselback 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.
On September 26, 2004 the Seahawks shutout the San Francisco 49ers 34-0. This marked the end of the 49ers' league record 27 year streak without a shutout - the last such game being against Atlanta in 1977 (7-0). The 49ers were in a position to score in the 4th quarter, but an interception and a fumble recovery sealed their fate. Some current players were either very young children or not even born when the last 49ers shutout occurred. The Seahawks also won their third division championship in 2004, when they claimed the NFC West title. They lost the first home playoff game at Qwest Field to the St. Louis Rams.
The 2005 season
The Seahawks got off to a rocky start on their 2005 campaign but it would end with their first Super Bowl appearance. They lost their first game of the season on the road against the Jacksonville Jaguars 26-14. Fortunately, they won their Week 2 home-opener against the same team that they beat on the last game of the 2004 regular season, the Atlanta Falcons (21-18). Then, they won at home against division rival Arizona 37-12, but then they lost on the road to the Washington Redskins 20-17 after kicker Josh Brown missed a game winning field goal that sent the game into overtime. The Seahawks rebounded, however, and went on an eleven-game win streak. First, they went to the Edward Jones Dome to face their fierce division-rival, the St. Louis Rams. Not only did the Seahawks win 37-31, but they also ended their four-game losing streak against them, which dated back to the late 2003 season. Afterwards, they went home for a Sunday night game against the hapless Houston Texans. The Seahawks easily won on the power of RB Shaun Alexander by a score of 42-10. When the Dallas Cowboys came to town the next week, the game came down to the wire. It wasn't settled until second-year DB Jordan Babineaux intercepted opposing QB Drew Bledsoe's pass for 25 yards, setting the stage for kicker Josh Brown's game-winning 50-yard field goal as time expired. The Seahawks won 13-10.
After their Week 8 bye, they then traveled to Tempe, Arizona and finished the sweep of the Cardinals by a score of 33-19. Afterwards, they went home and finished the sweep of their much-hated division rivals, the Rams, by the score of 31-16. When the Seahawks flew to Candlestick Park to take on the division rival San Francisco 49ers, the Seahawks were leading 27-12 going into the fourth quarter. The Niners started to rally, however, and in the final seconds, the 49ers got within two points with a 1-yard touchdown run by Maurice Hicks. Fortunately for the Seahawks, the Niners couldn't tie on the two-point conversion and Seattle held on for the win (27-25). A week later, the Seahawks went home and played a close game with the eventual NFC East champion New York Giants. With the score 21-21, opposing kicker Jay Feely missed three chances for a winning field goal (one as time expired in regulation and two in OT). The Seahawks won on a 36-yard Josh Brown field goal and the final score was 24-21.
When the St. Louis Rams lost on December 4 2005, the Seahawks clinched their second straight NFC West title after playing only 11 games.
On December 5 2005, the Seahawks shut out the Philadelphia Eagles 42-0 with three defensive touchdowns (two interceptions, one fumble return) to tie the largest margin of victory mark in Monday Night Football history and set the mark for the greatest margin of victory in an MNF shutout, as well as setting the NFL record for scoring the most points with under 200 yards of offense. A fourth interception return by Michael Boulware fell just short of tying another Seahawks NFL record of four defensive scores in a single game, set during a 45-0 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in 1984. When the game had finished, the Seahawks had handed the Eagles their 3rd worst defeat in team history (Seattle also handed the Eagles their 5th worst defeat since 1998, the last time the Seahawks played in Philadelphia).
On December 11 2005, following a 42-0 rout of the Eagles on MNF, the Seahawks defeated the San Fransisco 49ers 41-3, making their margin of victory for the two-week period 80 points (team record), and marking the first time in team history that the Seahawks had recorded three forty point or better games in a season. With some starters playing less than three quarters for the second game in a row, the victory put the Seahawks at 11-2 with three games remaining, just one win shy of their franchise record 12 wins (12-4 overall) in 1984. At least four team records were set during this game, including the lowest yards ever allowed by a Seahawk defense at 113, the biggest two game margin of victory, the first time the team has posted three forty point wins in a season, and the franchise record for wins in a row at 9.
After smashing the Niners, the Seahawks traveled to The Coliseum to face the Tennessee Titans. Coming into the second half, the score was tied at 14. After the third quarter, the Seahawks trailed 24-21. However, they wouldn't be denied as QB Matt Hasselbeck threw a game-winning 2-yard pass to WR Darrell Jackson, to end up with a 28-24 victory.
On Christmas Eve, the Seahawks beat the Colts 28-13 setting the franchise record for wins in season with 13. Shaun Alexander scored three touchdowns in the game and tied Priest Holmes for the NFL record for touchdowns in a season with 27. The victory also clinched the top seed in the NFC playoffs for the Seahawks assuring them of a home playoff game during the weekend of January 14-15, 2006 against the lowest remaining NFC seed (which turned out to be the Washington Redskins). Interestingly enough, the Colts-Seahawks game set records well before kickoff. The game featured the highest scoring and winningest teams against each other, and each looking to set a franchise record for most wins in a season. In addition, the schedule makers set a record with the first regular season game where the teams combined for at least 25 victories.
On January 1, 2006, despite losing to the Green Bay Packers 23-17, Shaun Alexander broke Priest Holmes's record for most rushing touchdowns in a single season, with his 28th touchdown coming in the 2nd quarter of the game. He also ended the season with the league's most rushing yards for the season with 1,880 yards. Four days later, he was named the 2005 NFL MVP.
After having the first round bye in the playoffs, the Seahawks hosted the Washington Redskins in the Divisional Playoff Round. Shaun Alexander suffered a concussion in the first quarter, but the Seahawks managed to prevail by a final score of 20-10. The win ended the franchise's 21-year playoff victory drought.
On Janurary 22nd, 2006 Seattle clinched its first Super Bowl berth in franchise history as they beat the Carolina Panthers 34-14. Seattle will play the Pittsburgh Steelers at Super Bowl XL in Detroit on February 5th, 2006 for the NFL championship.
Season-by-season
Logo and uniforms
When the Seahawks debuted in 1976, the team's logo was a stylized blue and green hawk's head based on Northwestern tribal art. The helmet was metallic silver while the uniforms were dark blue with silver pants.
In 2002, both the logo and the uniforms were redesigned. The colors were modified to become a darker blue and a more neon green. The helmets also were changed from silver to the darker blue color after a fan poll was conducted. The team now alternates between the blue colored pants and white pants, although they usually wear all blue at home and all white when playing away.
Players of note
Current players
- Carl Eller
- Franco Harris
- Steve Largent (also a former member of the United States House of Representatives)
Retired numbers
- 12 "The Fans", dedicated to Seahawks fans, the so-called "12th man"
- 80 Steve Largent (brought out of retirement for a portion of the 2004 season for Jerry Rice, who received Largent's blessing)
Seahawks Ring of Honor
- 80 Steve Largent, WR, 1976 - 89 (Inducted 1989)
- 10 Jim Zorn, QB, 1976 - 84 (Inducted 1991)
- 22 Dave Brown, CB, 1976 - 86 (Inducted 1992)
- Pete Gross, the "original" voice of the Seahawks, 1976 - 92, passed away in December, 1992 due to cancer (Inducted November, 1992 just two days before his passing)
- 28 Curt Warner, RB, 1983 - 89 (Inducted 1993, not to be confused with later quarterback Kurt Warner)
- 79 Jacob Green, DE, 1980 - 91 (Inducted 1995)
- 45 Kenny Easley, S, 1981 - 87 (Inducted 2002)
- 17 Dave Krieg, QB, 1980 - 91 (Inducted 2004)
- Chuck Knox, Head Coach, 1983 - 91 (Inducted 2005)
Not to be forgotten
- Brian Blades
- Brian Bosworth
- Chad Brown
- Dan Doornink
- Joey Galloway
- Jacob Green
- Franco Harris
- Cortez Kennedy
- Warren Moon
- Joe Nash
- Rufus Porter
- John Randle
- Jerry Rice
- Eugene Robinson
- Shawn Springs
- Chris Warren
- Ricky Watters
- John L. Williams
- Charle Young
- Fredd Young
Head coaches
- Jack Patera: 1976 - 82
- Mike McCormack: 1982 (replaced Patera after two games)
- Chuck Knox: 1983 - 91
- Tom Flores: 1992 - 94
- Dennis Erickson: 1995 - 98
- Mike Holmgren: 1999 - present
Team owners
- John Nordstrom: 1976 - 88
- Ken Behring: 1988 - 96
- Paul Allen: 1997 - present