On this date: Matt Hasselbeck acquired in trade with Packers
A look at a memorable moment in Seahawks history that occurred on March 2:
2001: Matt Hasselbeck is acquired in a trade with the Green Bay Packers. The teams switch picks in the first round of that year’s NFL Draft and the Seahawks also give the Packers a third-round draft choice. In starting 131 games over the next 10 seasons, Hasselbeck becomes the franchise’s all-time leader in completions and passing yards and is voted to the 35th Anniversary team.
On this date: Matt Hasselbeck signed to long-term contract
A look at some memorable moments in Seahawks history that occurred on Feb. 22:
1989: Tom Flores is named president and general manager to replace Mike McCormack. Flores became head coach in 1992, replacing Chuck Knox.
2002: Three-time Pro Bowl defensive end Michael Sinclair is released. Sinclair leaves after producing 73½ career sacks, including a league-leading 16½ in 1998, to rank second in franchise history to Jacob Green (116).
2005: Matt Hasselbeck is signed to a multi-year contract and Shaun Alexander is given the franchise tag. Both would be instrumental in the Seahawks’ run to the Super Bowl that season, as Alexander scored a then-league record 28 touchdowns and led the NFL in rushing while being voted league MVP and Hasselbeck passed for 3,459 yards and 24 touchdowns while compiling a career-best 98.2 passer rating.
On this date: Rick Mirer traded to Bears for first-round draft choice
A look at a memorable moment in Seahawks history that occurred on Feb. 18:
1997: Rick Mirer, the second pick overall in the 1993 NFL Draft, is traded to the Bears for a first-round draft choice that the club uses to trade up to the third spot in the ’97 Draft to select Shawn Springs. Mirer was 20-31 as a starter for the Seahawks, but his victory total ranks fourth in franchise history behind Dave Krieg (70), Matt Hasselbeck (69) and Jim Zorn (40).
On this date: Joey Galloway traded for two first-round draft choices
A look at some memorable moments in Seahawks history that occurred on Feb. 12:
2000: Joey Galloway is traded to the Cowboys for first-round draft choices in 2000 and 2001, picks the Seahawks use to select Shaun Alexander and Koren Robinson.
2003: John Marshall is hired as linebackers coach on Mike Holmgren’s staff.
2006: Matt Hasselbeck completes 10 of 17 passes for 85 yards as the NFC wins the Pro Bowl 23-17 in a defense-dominated game that features 10 turnovers and seven sacks. Lofa Tatupu has a team-high six tackles, as well as two more on special teams, while Walter Jones, Steve Hutchinson, Mack Strong and Robbie Tobeck help the NFC convert eight of 18 third-down situations and control the ball for 32 minutes.
On this date: Matt Hasselbeck throws TD pass in Pro Bowl
A look at a memorable moment in Seahawks history that occurred on Feb. 10:
2008: Matt Hasselbeck completes 7 of 9 passes for 78 yards and a touchdown to help the NFC win the Pro Bowl 42-30. Cornerback Marcus Trufant had five tackles to share team-high honors, while middle linebacker had Lofa Tatupu four tackles.
On this date: Shaun Alexander scores three times in Pro Bowl
A look at a memorable moment in Seahawks history that occurred on Feb. 8:
2004: Shaun Alexander runs for 66 yards and two touchdowns and also scores on a 5-yard reception to help the NFC take a wild 55-52 victory in the Pro Bowl. Matt Hasselbeck (4 of 9 for 51 yards), Alex Bannister (one special teams tackle), Steve Hutchinson and Walter Jones also represent the Seahawks in the game.
On this date: Seahawks suffer Super letdown
A look at some memorable moments in Seahawks history that occurred on Feb. 5:
1995: Chris Warren runs for 127 yards and a touchdown as the AFC rushes for 400 yards – and averages 10 yards per carry – to win the Pro Bowl 41-13. Rick Tuten averages 40.3 yards on four punts. Cortez Kennedy (one tackle) also starts for the AFC.
2003: Ray Rhodes is named defensive coordinator on Mike Holmgren’s staff.
2006: Matt Hasselbeck passes for 273 yards and Shaun Alexander runs for 95 yards, but the Seahawks can’t overcome their own mistakes and some dubious calls by the officials in Detroit while dropping a 21-10 decision to the Steelers in Super Bowl XL – the franchise’s first appearance in the NFL title game.
Friday in Hawkville: Larry Fitzgerald says it’s ‘surprising’ that Richard Sherman was not voted to the Pro Bowl
KO OLINA, Oahu – Hawkville has moved to Hawaii this week, as six Seahawks are preparing to play in Sunday’s Pro Bowl at Aloha Stadium. Today, we visited the J.W. Marriott Ihilani Resort and Spa as the NFC and AFC squads stayed “home” to practice:
FOCUS ON
Richard Sherman. What? The Seahawks’ cornerback isn’t even here. But then, that’s the point.
After intercepting a career-high eight passes during the regular season to tie for second in the NFL, Sherman was voted All-Pro, but not to the Pro Bowl – where the Bears’ duo of Tim Jennings and Charles Tillman are the starters for the NFC and the Cardinals’ Patrick Peterson is the third corner.
So we felt compelled to ask, “What’s up with that?”
“He had a phenomenal year. He really had a breakout year,” Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald said today after the NFC’s 15-minute on-field session. “So it is surprising that he’s not here. But I know he’ll have many more moving forward.”
Fitzgerald has gotten to know Sherman quite well the past three times the NFC West rivals have met. In the 2011 season finale in Arizona, Sherman and fellow Seahawks corner Brandon Browner were so physical with Fitzgerald that he was coughing up blood on the sideline. This season, Fitzgerald caught four passes for 63 yards in the opener in the desert, with Sherman intercepting one pass and breaking up another. During the December rematch in Seattle, Sherman intercepted two passes, broke up a third and also recovered a fumble, while Fitzgerald caught one pass for 2 yards – despite being targeted 11 times.
“Hopefully, I won’t contribute to his stats as much in the future,” Fitzgerald said with a laugh.
Kick returner Leon Washington, one of the six Seahawks who are on the NFC squad, can relate to Sherman’s Pro Bowl snub.
“My first year in Seattle, I scored three touchdowns and didn’t go,” said Washington, referring to his trio of kickoff returns for scores in 2010. “It’s so weird. It works like that sometimes. But Richard is All-Pro. And that’s big. That’s almost bigger than the Pro Bowl.
“He’ll be here next year.”
MATT THOMAS HIRED TO REPLACE JOHN IDZIK
The Seahawks didn’t wait long to re-hire Dan Quinn as their defensive coordinator after Gus Bradley was named head coach of the Jaguars last week. They followed the same path after John Idzik left to become general manager of the Jets later in the week, as Matt Thomas was named today as the team’s new vice president of football administration.
“Matt is a well-respected salary cap expert and was recommended by many top-ranking NFL executives,” general manager John Schneider said. “I am excited to welcome him to our football family.”
Thomas joins the Seahawks after spending the past three seasons with the Browns in the same capacity as their salary-cap expert and chief contract negotiator. He began his NFL career in 1998 with the Dolphins and spent 12 seasons with the club, including being the vice president/general counsel & football administration in 2009.
A LITTLE ASSISTANTS, PLEASE
The NFC squad is being coached by Mike McCarthy and his Packers’ staff, which includes assistant head coach/inside linebackers coach Winston Moss. He played linebacker for the Seahawks from 1995-97 and finished second on the team with 106 tackles in 1996.
Greg Knapp, the Seahawks’ offensive coordinator in 2009, is a member of John Fox’s staff with the Broncos that is coaching the AFC squad. Knapp just joined the Broncos after spending the season as offensive coordinator of the Raiders.
AN EVEN DOZEN FOR CHAMP
Speaking of the Broncos, cornerback Champ Baily is taking part in his 12th Pro Bowl. But he definitely is not taking a ho-hum, just-another-week-in-Hawaii approach.
“I had a veteran tell me a long time ago, if you are willing to stop coming, you stop coming,” Bailey said. “Any time I’m invited to do something this special, I’m coming. Unless I’m really hurt, that’s the only way I would miss this game.”
STAT DU JOUR
Russell Wilson will become the fourth Seahawks quarterback to play in the Pro Bowl, as the rookie joins Dave Krieg, Warren Moon and Matt Hasselbeck. Here’s a look at how those other QBs have done in their Pro Bowl appearances:
Player, (season) Att. Comp. Yds. TD Int.
Dave Krieg (1984) 10 4 32 0 0
Dave Krieg (1988) 14 3 21 0 1
Dave Krieg (1989) 23 15 148 0 0
Warren Moon (1997) 8 4 89 0 0
Matt Hasselbeck (2003) 9 4 51 0 1
Matt Hasselbeck (2005) 17 10 85 0 1
Matt Hasselbeck (2007) 9 7 78 1 0
UP NEXT
Both Pro Bowl squads will hold their final practice on Saturday morning at Aloha Stadium.
After practice today, Wilson took part in a roundtable with Broncos QB Peyton Manning, Redskins linebacker London Fletcher and Packers center Jeff Saturday that will air Sunday as part of NBC’s coverage of the game.
YOU DON’T SAY
“It’s extremely unlike me. You know me, man. Me and media, we never mix. But this is a great opportunity.” – left tackle Russell Okung on the media attention that comes with being at his first Pro Bowl
On this date: Seahawks win NFC title
A look at some memorable moments in Seahawks history that occurred on Jan. 22:
1992: Bob Bratkowski is named quarterbacks coach on Tom Flores’ staff. Bratkowski had been the offensive coordinator at the University of Miami, a position he would later hold with the Seahawks on Dennis Erickson’s staff.
2006: The Seahawks not only play in their first NFC Championship Game, they host the game and win it 34-14 over the Panthers as Shaun Alexander rushes for 132 yards and two touchdowns, Matt Hasselbeck throws for two scores and the defense intercepts three passes. The decisive victory sends the Seahawks to Super Bowl XL. The game, and everything surrounding it, was named the top moment in the first 10 seasons at the team’s state-of-the-art stadium that opened in 2002.
2007: Bruce DeHaven is named special teams coach on Mike Holmgren’s staff.
2009: Tim Lewis, the brother of Seahawks’ director of pro personnel Will Lewis, is named defensive backs coach on Jim Mora’s staff.
On this date: Hasselbeck plays final game for Seahawks
A look a memorable moment in Seahawks history that occurred on Jan. 16:
2011: In what will be his final game as a Seahawk, Matt Hasselbeck passes for three touchdowns in the fourth quarter, but it isn’t enough as the Bears take a 35-24 victory in a divisional playoff game at Soldier Field. Jay Cutler stakes Chicago to a 28-0 lead by running for two TDs and passing for a third. When the club decides not to re-sign the most prolific passer in franchise history during the offseason, Hasselbeck signs with the Titans.
