The Hawkstorian's All-Time Numeric Roster

[SeatownJay]

I do believe Joe Nash holds the team record for most blocked kicks, too.

 

[drcool]

I do believe Joe Nash holds the team record for most blocked kicks, too.

And the record for most fake injuries stopping the clock when the other team is driving.

 

[IndyHawk]

Gotta defend Nash for using his head,plenty of other teams players did the same thing..~S~ Joe Nash!

 

[hawkfan68]

Right now Joe Nash is the best Seahawk to wear #72 but if Bennett keeps it up then there might just be a controversy.

 

[Kennedyin92]

Depends on how much longevity is worth. Bennett cannot possibly match Nash's time with the team, but this incarnation of the Hawks has already surpassed anything that Nash's teams accomplished. In terms of overall team success, Bennett already wins hands down due to his impact on a championship team IMO. That said, it's difficult to predict what Nash's impact would've been on a team with more championship-caliber pieces.

 

[Hawkstorian]

#71

First	Last	College	Pos	Years	Games	Starts
Steve	Niehaus	Notre Dame	DT	1976-1978	36	19
Carl	Eller	Minnesota	DE-DT	1979	16	8
Jack	Campbell	Utah	T	1982	1	0
Bryan	Millard	Texas	G	1984-1992	123	101
Rickie	Shaw	North Carolina	T	1993	1	0
Mike	Moody	Southern Cal	T	1994	0	0
Walter	Jones	Florida State	T	1997-2009	190	190

Seattle and Tampa Bay held a coin flip for the first overall draft pick in 1976. Tampa won the flip and drafted future hall of famer Leroy Selmon. With the second pick, the Seahawks drafted DT Steve Niehaus from Notre Dame. Niehaus was probably the team's best defensive player in 1976, recording 8 1/2 sacks and earning NFC defensive rookie of the year. He also had a bad shoulder that kept slipping out of joint, which never could be totally fixed and he was out of the league by 1979.

Some people like to declare draft picks as "busts" and I think it's usually a very unfair thing to say, especially when a guy plays well and is just injured. I'm willing to agree that Aaron Curry was a draft bust, but Niehaus was a supremely talented player who's body just didn't let him play very long.

Niehaus was traded to Minnesota for Carl Eller, one of the famous "Purple People Eaters". Seahawks coach Jack Patera was formerly the d-line coach for Minnesota, so there was a connection there. Eller became the third former Seahawk to be inducted into the Hall of Fame (trivia: who was the first?).

Bryan Millard was part of the foundation of the Seahawk's offensive line in the '80s and is one of the best 2 or 3 guards in team history. For purposes of this project I wish he wore #73 or #74! However, that's not how the game is played.

I appreciate the fact that the Seahawks announced that #71 would be retired just as the brilliant career of Walter Jones came to and end. He follows Steve Largent as the only two first-ballot career Seahawks in history.

I go back and forth as to which player is the greatest in team history, and mostly I'd rather not have to choose.

My head says Jones. He was acknowledged as the best tackle in his generation, and had several all-pros to his name. Largent was so damn consistent for so long, we forget that most years there were better WRs. He was rarely the league's best in a given year as Jones usually was.

My heart says Largent, but like I said -- don't make me decide for certain. 1A and 1B should be good enough. Plus, if I DID decide I would just change my pick over and over again.

 

[Seahwkgal]

My heart still melts in the beginning of the movie "The Blind Side"...I love big Walt.

 

[ChiefHawk]

Millard did everything required to hold a number's mvp spot, but unfortunately he wore the same number as the best LT ever to play the game

 

[Seahawk Sailor]

Several #71's would take the top spot in a whole bunch of other numbers. Unfortunately for them, THE #71 would take the top spot in almost every number without question.

 

[hawksfansinceday1]

We were so lucky to see a player of the caliber of Big Walt play for our team.

 

[Hawkstorian]

#70

First	Last	College	Pos	Years	Games	Starts
Bob	Lurtsema	Western Michigan	DE-DT	1976-1977	27	25
Dave	Kraayeveld	Milton	DE	1978	12	0
Jeff	Sevy	California	T	1979-1980	19	5
Mike	White	Albany St	DT	1981-1982	20	8
Darrell	Irvin	Oklahoma	DE	1983	19	0
Ron	Mattes	Virginia	T	1985-1990	77	61
Michael	Sinclair	E. New Mexico	DE	1991-2001	145	115
Jerry	Wunsch	Wisconsin	G	2002-2005	34	5
Na'Shan	Goddard	South Carolina	T	2008	2	0
Michael	Brooks	East Carolina	DT	2013	1	0

Despite 39 expansion choices and 25 college draft picks, the Seahawks acquired 13 players in trades and from cut-downs from other teams just prior to the start of the 1976 season. One of those was nine-year veteran Bob Lurtsema, a lineman who played for coach Patera in Minnesota. Lurtsema started most of the first two seasons before calling it a career.

Doug Kraayeveld only played one season. He was the first Seahawk to ever hail from Milton College. He also was the original "12th man" as he failed to get off the field in time, giving Denver a second shot at a game-winning FG.

The most recent #70, Michael Brooks, spent most of 2013 on the practice squad, but was promoted for one game and even played a few snaps vs. Atlanta.

Michael Sinclair was the first Seahawk jersey I ever bought so he's clearly a favorite of mine. Sinclair spent his early years on the practice squad, World League (remember that?) and injured reserve to eventually develop into the team's top sack-man. He was drafted in 1991 but didn't become a starter until 1995. He led the NFL in sacks in 1998 and finished #2 all-time in Seahawk history. He is a very worthy choice as the MVP at #70.

 

[ChiefHawk]

Micheal Sinclair had a great career while battling diabetes as well, and is commonly used as an example of what can be achieved in spite of the disease.

Before this current crew, I'd easily place him in my top 10 Seahawks. Now, it may be hard to find room.

 

[Kennedyin92]

Micheal Sinclair had a great career while battling diabetes as well, and is commonly used as an example of what can be achieved in spite of the disease.

Before this current crew, I'd easily place him in my top 10 Seahawks. Now, it may be hard to find room.

I agree, and it it is really a shame. I feel that so many of our current players have achieved their success due to the quality coaching. That said, I wish Sinclair had been around for some higher quality coaching.

 

[MidwestHawker]

That defensive line that had Sinclair, Tez and Sam Adams all at the same time was nasty. Love Sinclair.

 

[ChiefHawk]

1996 D line: Sinclair, Adams, Kennedy, McCrary

And we had this rookie named Phillip Daniels.....

That was a hideous pile of talent on the D line.

Too bad we had lost Eugene Robinson that off season to Free Agency...

 

[Hawkstorian]

The Seahawks traded Eugene to Green Bay for Matt LaBounty.

 

[ChiefHawk]

I thought the trade was based on salary - we couldn't afford to keep him at the numbers he probably should have been paid, so we traded him to get something in return.

I shall adjust my recollections....we didn't lose him "to FA", but imho because of FA/Salary cap....(drove his price up)

18 years later I'm still pissed the organization didn't keep him - but that is probably a discussion for when we get to #41...

 

[MidwestHawker]

I thought the trade was based on salary - we couldn't afford to keep him at the numbers he probably should have been paid, so we traded him to get something in return.

I shall adjust my recollections....we didn't lose him "to FA", but imho because of FA/Salary cap....(drove his price up)

This is accurate, I'm pretty sure.

 

[ChiefHawk]

Sinclair was part of my two favorite defensive line lineups -

1996: Sinclair, Adams, Kennedy, McCrary (and Joe Nash was still on the roster)
1998: Sinclair, Adams, Kennedy, Daniels

my all time favorite Defensive line (and maybe defense) is 1991: Green, Kennedy, Bryant, Nash/Woods

 

[drdiags]

Gotta defend Nash for using his head,plenty of other teams players did the same thing..~S~ Joe Nash!

I thought Knox ordered Nash to do this. When I read Chuck's book, it talked about this. The league gave him grief about it before changing the rules to allow defenses a chance against the Bengals-type offense. Knox, in his words (or the co-author) seemed to acknowledge that he had Joe do this. I am not sure Joe was entirely happy about having to be "Trick Knee" Nash.

EDIT: Wasn't Franco Harris the "first" former Seahawk voted into the HoF (Terry Bradshaw hates this sentence)?