The Seattle Seahawks were created when the AFL-NFL merger occurred in the early 1970s. With the merger and expansion a team was added in the city of Seattle as the team began play in 1976. As the Seahawks inch closer to 50 years in their team history, lets take a look at the five greatest players that have ever put on the wondrous Seahawk uniform.
5. Kenny Easley DB (1981-1987)
Former Seahawks DB Kenny Easley (45)- Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images
Even with a short career due to a severe kidney disease, Kenny Easley was not just a good safety for the Seahawks but one of the best defensive players in the entire NFL while he was playing. Easley was a playmaker in the back line of the Seahawks’ defense in his playing career, as he recorded 32 interceptions in 89 career games in Seattle. Easley recorded ten interceptions in 1984 which resulted in his play being honored by winning the NFL Defensive Player of the Year that season.
Easley’s short career was dominant and consistent, resulting in being 4x First-team All-Pro, a 5x Pro Bowler and 1x Second-team All-Pro. Not to mention Easley was also a part of the NFL’s 1980s All-Decade Team despite only playing seven seasons. Easley’s play has always been honored by the Seahawks, as his number 45 was retired by the team. The Pro Football Hall of Fame rewarded him for elite safety play as well, inducting him in 2017.
4. Russell Wilson QB (2012-2021)
Former Seahawks QB Russell Wilson (3) – Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports
While this may leave a sour taste in most fans’ mouths, there is no doubt Russell Wilson is the greatest quarterback in Seahawk history, and not to mention; he helped lead the team to its only Super Bowl title. Wilson was traded in 2022 from the Seahawks after a long and storied career in Seattle. While it was tough to see him walk away from the team, there is no other player who helped the Seahawks become a more consistent playoff team than Wilson.
Wilson holds many records for his time as a Seahawk. Wilson has the most passing yards, most passing touchdowns, and most wins as a quarterback in franchise history. While the elite coaching of Pete Carroll and the elite defensive play of the Seahawks during Wilson’s time helped make the Seahawks a great team in his tenure, Wilson had the perfect combination of poise and leadership to lead the team to its only Super Bowl win in 2013 (XLVIII).
The team also made the Super Bowl in back-to-back seasons, with Wilson winning the NFC once again in 2014. Wilson has been a great face of the franchise for the past decade, and while some fans despise his exit to Denver, Wilson made Seahawk football nothing short of exciting.
3. Cortez Kennedy DT (1990-2000)
Former Seahawks DT Cortez Kennedy (96) – Cheryl Hatch/AP Photo
An absolute force up the middle for Seahawk defenses, Cortez “Tez” Kennedy, was a mammoth for opposing offenses in his NFL career as a Seahawk. Tez put together a very decorated career in Seattle as the Seahawks drafted him third overall out of Miami, where he won two National Championships. Tez was a force for Seattle and possessed an outstanding pass rush as a defensive tackle, which made him one of the best players at the position of all teams.
Tez won NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1992 in only his third season, the Seahawk put together 14 sacks that season, which ended up being his career high. Cortez was a 3x First-team All-Pro, 2x Second-team All-Pro, and 8x Pro Bowler. Cortez Kennedy’s number of 96 was retired by the Seahawks as well and his play was great enough to get himself inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2012. Unfortunately Cortez passed away in 2017 at the young age of 48 years old, but we will keep Cortez’s legacy alive in Seattle forever as he was a special player and even better person.
2. Walter Jones OT (1997-2008)
Former Seahawks OT Walter Jones (71) – Rod Mar/The Seattle Times
Stability and dominance that is what long-time starting offensive tackle Walter Jones brought to the table in his 12-year NFL career, which was all with the Seahawks. Jones was regarded as the top offensive tackle in the early 2000s and put together some impressive stats. “In the 180 games in Seattle, the Seahawks attempted more than 5,500 passes with Jones on the field, while Jones gave up a total of only 23 sacks and was penalized for holding just nine times. A remarkable stat and realization of how dominant Jones was for Seattle.
Jones was a 4x First-team All-Pro, 9x Pro Bowler, 2x Second-team All-Pro, and part of the NFL 2000s All-Decade Team. Jones’s greatness as a Seahawk was honored as his number 71 was retired by Seattle and Jones was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2014.
1. Steve Largent WR (1976-1989)
Former Seahawks WR Steve Largent (80) – George Gojkovich/Getty Images
The greatest Seahawk has to be the player who was known as the team’s first superstar from the beginning of the franchise’s history. Largent was an absolute stud wide receiver for Seattle. Largent leads the triple crown of receiving stats for the history of the Seahawks with 819 receptions, 13,089 receiving yards, and 100 receiving touchdowns. Largent still leads all three categories and at an insane margin as well. Not only did Largent rise to the top of Seattle’s team receiving history, but at the time of his retirement, he held a variety of all-time NFL receiving records, making him one of the best receivers of all time!
Largent was inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1995. In his playing career, he was First-team All-Pro in 1985, 4x Second-team All-Pro, and 2x NFL receiving yards leader. Not to mention his number 80 jersey was retired, becoming the first Seahawk to have his number retired. Largent was what made the Seahawks a relevant team as they were created into existence. “Yoda” helped put the team on the map even if he was not able to help the franchise win a championship.
