Seahawks Files: RB Curt Warner

keasley45

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In my book (and admittedly maybe more for nostalgic value than actual stats / impact / legacy - Beast Mode is the man) the best RB to ever dawn a Hawks uniform - Curt Warner.

I remember my dad telling me in the early 80s as I'd just become attached to the Seahawks, that if Curt Warner hadn't been plagued by a catastrophic knee injury, he may have challenged the NFL record books in being one of the best there ever was. I was too young to appreciate his college career and can honestly only recall a handful of games where we were all treated to his immense skill (the cinderella game against Miami in 83 included), but as few as those memories are, they are significant for how completely electrifying he made them.

Warner was the 3rd overall pick in the 83 draft behind only John Elway and Eric Dickerson. His college career saw him average almost 12 yards/ carry for Penn State, where he'd receive All American Honors twice.

He continued his success in the NFL, leading the AFC in rushing yards his rookie season. The following year he was lost for the season, due to a torn ACL in the season opener. When he returned, he was still great, but his knee would keep him from realizing a full career. After rockwting back to the top of the AFC in rushing in 86, he declined quickly and was out of the league by 1990. He would be recognized in three probowls in 83, 86 and 87. Warner finished his career as a Ram, in 1990.

The man was simply amazing.

Enjoy:





 

Lagartixa

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I'd been waiting for this one!

I loved Curt Warner. The magical 1983 season was amazing.
After the Seahawks beat the Broncos in the wildcard game, and the announcers were saying stuff like "I guess the question is now 'can the Dolphins ride the wave?'," my dad sat down and had a little talk with me, trying to get me to be really happy with how far the Seahawks had gotten, because it seemed very unlikely that the Seahawks would be able to go to Miami and win there the next week. When the Seahawks actually won that game, with Warner having made a huge contribution, I put on my numberless royal-blue Seahawks jersey and my Seahawks helmet and ran around my neighborhood yelling and waving my arms in the air in celebration. Best of all, the Seahawks had already beaten the Raiders twice that season, so it seemed at that moment like the Seahawks might actually get to the Super Bowl.
(Φ∪⊂κin' Raiders!)

Warner was featured heavily in the game program (entitled GAMEDAY) from the first Seahawks game I actually attended, the one in Foxborough in 1984, but Warner had of course suffered the terrible knee injury between when the content of the game programs was decided and when the game was actually played, so he didn't play. Instead, I "got to" see Franco Harris, whose earlier work with the Steelers I had admired, doing a whole lot of nothing good in a Seahawks uniform that day. And the Seahawks were still better in the first half, but lost the game convincingly, getting utterly destroyed in the second half.
I did get to see Warner playing when I went to my second Seahawks game, the one in Foxborough in 1986. He had 18 rushes for 73 yards and two touchdowns in a come-from-behind 38-31 victory for my team.

I loved seeing Warner play when the Seahawks were actually on TV in Maine, and I loved catching his highlights when the Seahawks' games weren't on TV where I lived.

Warner is one of my all-time favorite Seahawks.
 

Smellyman

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Hurt my knees and body just watching people run and get tackled on that turf.

Warner was great
 

Spohawks

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I truly enjoyed watching Warner. I think Walker is a clone of Warner...we are in for a show!
 

Smellyman

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I truly enjoyed watching Warner. I think Walker is a clone of Warner...we are in for a show!
Warner might be closer to Penny + Walker. The easy gliding strides of Penny with sudden cuts of Walker.
 

onanygivensunday

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"The man was simply amazing." He was, as a man, amazing. He sure was nice to my family and was never too busy to pay attention. Great human being, besides being an outstanding talent on the football field.
And he was one helluva car salesman as well.

Seriously, Curt was a stud RB. Loved his combination of elusiveness and power.

An offensive backfield of he and John L Williams should have dominated the NFL for six to eight years.
 

Appyhawk

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And he was one helluva car salesman as well.

Seriously, Curt was a stud RB. Loved his combination of elusiveness and power.

An offensive backfield of he and John L Williams should have dominated the NFL for six to eight years.
They both seemed like relatively quiet types off the field. But both were very approachable and attentive instead of the nod and go that is more the norm. Williams had legs like tree trunks! I was amazed standing next to him just what mass he had. Sure glad he didn't hit me! Things were different back on those days.
 
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keasley45

keasley45

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And he was one helluva car salesman as well.

Seriously, Curt was a stud RB. Loved his combination of elusiveness and power.

An offensive backfield of he and John L Williams should have dominated the NFL for six to eight years.
Yup. John L ... you could plug him in at RB and not lose a ton. He was legit, that talented. He was even our featured back in 1990 maybe? I forget what year it was. Much of that was due to him playing RB in college.

But yeah. He and Warner at 100% and in their primes, sans the knee injury... they could have set the league on its ear with their talent.

Was happy to have them both while we did.
 

onanygivensunday

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We had such great uniform back in those days.
And they were just perfect to contrast with the rest of the AFC West opponents' uniforms... the black of the Raider, the red of the Chiefs, and the orange of the Broncos.

Classic. Can't wait for the retro unis.
 

toffee

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I like the retro uniform perhaps with a bit more green to set ours apart from the cowboys'. But still like the retro lighter blue over the current darker one,
 

AROS

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Curt Warner was so fun to watch. He didn't run, he glided, not unlike Sweetness. Such a shame when he torn his ACL. Never was quite the same when he came back, and no doubt would have been a Hall of Famer had he remained injury free throughout his career. Appreciate your threads keasley45.
 

jammerhawk

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With Curt Warner it was sad that injury cut his career far too short. He was an immense talent that was ruined by being played on the terrible surface of the Kingdome.

His knee issues now would not have affected him anything close to how devastating they were back then. The progress in surgical repair of knee injuries and the development of improving repair techniques should have allowed him to have a longer career that could have ensured Warner a HOF enshirinement.
 

Nv_Hawks

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In my book (and admittedly maybe more for nostalgic value than actual stats / impact / legacy - Beast Mode is the man) the best RB to ever dawn a Hawks uniform - Curt Warner.

I remember my dad telling me in the early 80s as I'd just become attached to the Seahawks, that if Curt Warner hadn't been plagued by a catastrophic knee injury, he may have challenged the NFL record books in being one of the best there ever was. I was too young to appreciate his college career and can honestly only recall a handful of games where we were all treated to his immense skill (the cinderella game against Miami in 83 included), but as few as those memories are, they are significant for how completely electrifying he made them.

Warner was the 3rd overall pick in the 83 draft behind only John Elway and Eric Dickerson. His college career saw him average almost 12 yards/ carry for Penn State, where he'd receive All American Honors twice.

He continued his success in the NFL, leading the AFC in rushing yards his rookie season. The following year he was lost for the season, due to a torn ACL in the season opener. When he returned, he was still great, but his knee would keep him from realizing a full career. After rockwting back to the top of the AFC in rushing in 86, he declined quickly and was out of the league by 1990. He would be recognized in three probowls in 83, 86 and 87. Warner finished his career as a Ram, in 1990.

The man was simply amazing.

Enjoy:






I love this. In 1983 and 1984 I worked at a gym and had the pleasure of meeting the team during their workouts. I had pic of Curt and the following year he signed it.
 

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Nv_Hawks

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Here’s a few more. And one of the greatest WR ever.
 

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rjdriver

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I enjoyed that very much @keasley45 , thanks for posting.

Had CW not tore that ACL, I have zero doubt the 2013 Seahawks would not have been our first championship. I idolized the guy, probably one of the most underrated backs ever (as was Chris Warren).
 
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