On this date: Easley, Young spark AFC
A look at the memorable moments in Seahawks history that occurred on Feb. 7:
1988: Kenny Easley and Fredd Young provide half the AFC’s four interceptions, as well as eight and seven tackles, in 15-6 victory in the Pro Bowl. Steve Largent (one reception) and Jacob Green (two tackles) also were on the AFC squad.
1993: Cortez Kennedy and Eugene Robinson combine for nine tackles to help the AFC win the Pro Bowl 23-20 in overtime.
1999: Cortez Kennedy and the “strong side, left side” trio of Michael Sinclair, Chad Brown and Shawn Springs combine for five tackles and three passes defensed to help the AFC claim a 23-10 Pro Bowl victory in what is John Elway’s final game.
2003: Teryl Austin is named defensive backs coach on Mike Holmgren’s staff.
Tuesday cyber surfing: And still more Tez
Good morning. Here’s what’s “out there” about the Seahawks for today, Feb. 7:
While answering questions from his ESPN.com mailbag, NFC West blogger Mike Sando shares his thoughts on Cortez Kennedy’s selection to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday: “The Mount Rushmore of Seahawks history would include Steve Largent, Kenny Easley, Kennedy and Walter Jones, in my view. Shaun Alexander deserves consideration as well, but I think those other guys were the elite of the elite in the pure ability to dominate their opponents. Easley, Kennedy and Jones played extremely physical positions, too, so their dominance was a cut above simply by the nature of their jobs. I tend to favor candidates who flat-out dominated even when two or three opponents at a time matched up against them. Kennedy fit that criteria. Kennedy’s candidacy suffered some from the Seahawks’ struggles during the 1990s. The team kept hiring offensive-minded head coaches in an effort to fix that side of the ball, going from Chuck Knox to Tom Flores to Dennis Erickson to Mike Holmgren during Kennedy’s tenure. Holmgren’s arrival in 1999 led to an 8-2 start and playoff appearance that season. Kennedy had 6.5 sacks and two interceptions that year, with three of those sacks during Holmgren’s return to Green Bay on the Monday night stage. Overall, Kennedy appeared in prime time only five times during his career. For that reason, many of the selectors rarely saw him play. One key to Kennedy’s enshrinement was making sure the selectors had the relevant facts and testimonials before them. Presenting Kennedy was straightforward. His credentials made it so.”
Here at Seahawks.com, we check in with Steve Largent, the Seahawks’ original Hall of Famer, for his thoughts on Cortez Kennedy joining him in the Pro Football Hall of Fame: “I think entering the Hall of Fame does change your life,” Largent said, before quickly adding, “Not in respect to priorities or anything like that. But just in terms of externally, you’re on a higher profile as a player. And also, you realize you’re joining a very limited and unique club of people and that there is a camaraderie you have with those men that really goes beyond anything I’ve ever been involved in before.”
We also take another look at the Seahawks’ Week 5 victory over the Giants in our “Monday metatarsal musings” after they won the Super Bowl on Sunday. Says veteran cornerback Marcus Trufant: “It was just one of those things that shows during the season it’s not about one game, you’ve got to put a whole season together. Sure, we beat them earlier in the season. But they put together a run and they just kept making it happen. So it’s not about one game during the season. It’s about putting all the games together and coming away with a good season.”
Had enough Super Bowl coverage? Hope not, because here’s Peter King’s “Monday Morning Quarterback” (Yes, it’s Tuesday, but this wasn’t posted when we went surfing Monday morning).
On this date: Behring’s relocation plan
A look at the memorable moments in Seahawks history that occurred on Feb. 2:
1986: Steve Largent catches a game-high eight passes for 82 yards, but the NFC wins the Pro Bowl 28-24. Kenny Easley (two tackles) and Fredd Young (one tackle) also are on the AFC squad.
1992: John L. Williams (four carries for 8 yards, one reception) and Cortez Kennedy represent the AFC in the Pro Bowl, but the NFC wins 21-15.
1996: Owner Ken Behring announces he is relocating the franchise to Southern California, a move that is later blocked by the NFL.
1997: Cortez Kennedy has six tackles to help the AFC take a 26-23 overtime victory in the Pro Bowl. Michael Sinclair (one tackle) also is on the AFC squad.
1998: Jim Zorn, the club’s original quarterback who had been an offensive assistant on Dennis Erickson’s staff, leaves to become the QB coach with the Lions. Zorn would return to be the Seahawks QB coach.
Wednesday cyber surfing: Largent’s lack of a Super Bowl
Good morning. Here’s what’s “out there” about the Seahawks for today, Feb. 1:
NFL.com has compiled its list of the best players who never appeared in a Super Bowl, and you-know-who is on it: “(Steve) Largent helped turn the expansion Seahawks into a contender in a short period of time, but the Hall of Fame receiver only got as far in the playoffs as the 1983 AFC Championship Game.”
As a companion piece, NFL Films also has a list of the Top 10 players who never appeared in a Super Bowl and Largent checks in at No. 3. You can check out the video here.
The QB who threw a lot of passes to Largent – Jim Zorn – won’t be interviewing for a job with the Bears. Sean Jensen of the Sun Times says the Chiefs denied the Bears permission to talk to Zorn: “Zorn joined the Chiefs last offseason. Although head coach Todd Haley was fired, the Chiefs apparently like Zorn enough that they don’t want him to leave.”
Alex Marvez at FoxSports.com has the word on Greg Knapp, the Seahawks’ offensive coordinator in 2009, taking the same position with the Raiders: “Knapp spent last season as Houston’s quarterbacks coach. He previously served as Oakland’s offensive coordinator in 2007 and 2008 and held the same position with San Francisco (2001 to 2003), Atlanta (2004 to 2006) and Seattle.”
Former Seahawks linebacker Keith Butler has opted not to interview with the Colts to become their defensive coordinator and remain with the Steelers. Gerry Dulac of the Post-Gazette has the details: “Butler was scheduled to interview with new Colts Coach Chuck Pagano on Tuesday in Indianapolis, but he changed his mind after meeting today with team president Art Rooney II and Coach Mike Tomlin. Butler was told after the 2009 season he will be the team’s defensive coordinator when Dick LeBeau retires – a handshake agreement that was made when he turned down the Miami Dolphins offer to become their defensive coordinator.”
The Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2012 will be selected Saturday and SI.com’s Jim Trotter, a member of the selection committee, looks at former 49ers owner and finalist Eddie DeBartolo: “What could make Saturday’s session more interesting than previous years is that for the first time in at least two decades there are no shoo-in, first-year candidates. That means deserving finalists previously caught in a numbers logjam will have a better shot at breaking through. And yet the thing that could really make this year noteworthy is the candidacy of former San Francisco 49ers patriarch Eddie DeBartolo Jr., who is seeking to be the first modern-era owner inducted at Canton. The 12 owners currently in the Hall of Fame purchased their teams before the AFL-NFL merger in 1970, and their candidacies revolved around their contributions to the health and growth of the league in its formative years. DeBartolo oversaw one of sport’s great dynasties as owner of the 49ers from 1977 to 2000. His nomination is important because it could provide insight as to how modern owners will be judged in the future.”
Tuesday was Media Day in Indianapolis, the event during the Super Bowl week where anything can – and usually does – happen. Don Banks at SI.com has the details: “At least five times I must have chosen the same player podium to be at – unfortunately – as that Nickelodeon guy who always shows up on Super Bowl media day and calls himself “Pick Boy.” He’s dressed in a knockoff version of the “Robin” cape, mask and tights of “Batman and Robin” fame, and let’s just say hilarity doesn’t often ensue following his zany questions put to players.”
On this date: Largent’s Pro Bowl catch
A look at a memorable moment in Seahawks history that occurred on Jan. 31:
1982: Steve Largent catches a 35-yard pass as the AFC wins the Pro Bowl 16-13.
On this date: Largent ties Pro Bowl record
A look at the memorable moments in Seahawks history that occurred on Jan. 29:
1979: Steve Largent, the Seahawks’ first representative to the Pro Bowl, ties a record by catching five passes but the NFC wins the game 13-7 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
1984: Chuck Knox coaches the AFC Pro Bowl team after the Seahawks lose the AFC Championship Game to the Raiders, and has Kenny Easley and Curt Warner on the squad. But the NFC wins 45-3. Rams safety Nolan Cromwell, who would later coach the Seahawks wide receivers, returns an interception 44 yards for a touchdown.
1989: Dave Krieg is 3 of 14 for 21 yards and the AFC manages only a field goal in a 34-3 loss in the Pro Bowl. Rufus Porter also was on the AFC squad.
On this date: Largent voted into Hall of Fame
A look at the memorable moments in Seahawks history that occurred on Jan. 28:
1993: Howard Mudd is named offensive line coach on Tom Flores’ staff. Mudd had held the same position with the Seahawks from 1978-82.
1995: Steve Largent is voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. Largent had retired after the 1989 season as the NFL’s all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards and touchdown catches.
2000: Ted Thompson is named vice president of football operations.
On this date: Seahawks lead AFC Pro Bowl victory
A look at a memorable moment in Seahawks history that occurred on Jan. 27:
1985: Fredd Young blocks a punt to set up a touchdown, Norm Johnson kicks two field goals and Kenny Easley has a game-high 10 tackles as the AFC wins the Pro Bowl 22-14. The Seahawks’ largest Pro Bowl contingent in franchise history also includes Steve Largent, Dave Krieg, Joe Nash and Dave Brown.
On this date
A look at the memorable – and not-so-memorable – moments in Seahawks history that occurred on Jan. 3:
1976: Jack Patera, who had been the defensive line coach for the Vikings, is named the first head coach in franchise history.
1983: Mike McCormack is named president/general manager. The Hall of Fame offensive lineman for the Browns had been the Seahawks’ director of football operations since March of 1982, and also stepped in as interim coach during that strike-shortened season after Jack Patera was fired.
1988: Tony Zendejas kicks a 42-yard field goal eight minutes into overtime to give the Oilers a 23-20 victory over the Seahawks in a wild-card playoff game at the Astrodome. Steve Largent catches a 12-yard TD pass from Dave Krieg with 26 seconds left in regulation to tie the score. Largent has seven catches for 132 yards and two TDs. The drive to Zendejas’ game-winner includes a tip of a Warren Moon pass by Jeff Bryant that players in the game still say was intercepted, but the officials do not agree.
2009: The Titans’ Chris Johnson runs for 132 yards to eclipse the 2,000-yard rushing barrier for the season and also scores on a 1-yard run late in the fourth quarter as Tennessee defeats the Seahawks 17-13 in their season finale in Seattle.
On this date
A look at the memorable – and not-so-memorable – moments in Seahawks history that occurred on Dec. 31:
1983: The Seahawks drive 66 yards in five plays to a touchdown run by Curt Warner in the fourth quarter and Norm Johnson adds a 37-yard field goal as they upset the Dolphins 27-20 in an AFC divisional playoff game at the Orange Bowl – a victory that sends the Seahawks to the AFC Championship game in their first season under Chuck Knox. Warner runs for 113 yards and another TD, while Dave Krieg passes 16 yards to Steve Largent on third-and-2 and then hits him for a 40-yarder to the Dolphins’ 2-yard line on the drive to Warner’s game-winner.
1988: After capturing their first division title, the Seahawks fall to the Bengals 21-13 in a divisional playoff game at Riverfront Stadium. Dave Krieg rallies them from a 21-0 deficit by throwing for one touchdown and running for another in the fourth quarter, while John L. Williams catches 11 passes for 137 yards.
2002: Mike Holmgren relinquishes his role as general manager and fires his defensive coaching staff in the wake of a 7-9 season.
2006: The playoff-bound Seahawks push their regular-season record to 9-7 with a 23-7 victory over the Buccaneers in Tampa as Shaun Alexander runs for 92 yards and a touchdown and Josh Brown kicks three field goals.
