National Football League

Vote for the greatest Seahawk

Published Jul. 2, 2011 1:00 a.m. ET

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WR Steve Largent

Think the Oilers regret trading Largent to the expansion Seahawks just months after drafting him in 1976 out of Tulsa? Largent went on to catch 54 passes as a rookie and never looked back, joining the Hall of Fame in 1995. At the end of his 14 years in the NFL – all with Seattle – the seven-time Pro Bowler held the NFL’s career receiving records in receptions (819), receiving yards (13,089) and receiving touchdowns (100). Not a physically imposing player, Largent excelled with precise route running, intense focus and a wonderfully sure pair of hands. That’s not to say he wasn’t tough. Largent’s crushing hit on Broncos defensive back Mike Harden in 1988 remains a YouTube sensation today.

DT Cortez Kennedy

Here’s how dominant Kennedy was: In 1992, a season in which the Seahawks went 2-14, Kennedy was named the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year. The monstrous 300-pounder had 92 tackles, 14 sacks and four forced fumbles that season – from his defensive tackle position. An eight-time Pro Bowler, Kennedy finished his 11-year NFL career with 58 sacks in 167 games. A member of the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 1990s, Kennedy has been a Hall of Fame finalist the past three years but hasn’t been elected yet. His résumé compares favorably to Cowboys great Randy White, who made the Hall in 1994, so it may just be a matter of time for Kennedy.

RB Shaun Alexander

Alexander’s 2005 season seems like a dream for the player, the Seahawks, and any fantasy football fanatic lucky enough to have the explosive running back that year. Alexander rushed for 1,880 yards, a then-NFL-record 27 touchdowns and an average of 117.5 yards per game – leading the league in all three categories. Not surprisingly, he was the league’s MVP and won pretty much every individual honor possible that season. That’s not to say the rest of his career wasn’t stellar. The three-time Pro Bowler had five 1,000-yard rushing seasons in eight seasons for the Seahawks and 100 TDs in his nine-year career. Only injuries prevented Alexander from racking up even more impressive numbers.

OT Walter Jones

Best left tackle ever to play the game? Jones certainly has to be in that conversation, though you won’t hear him brag about it. The humble Jones retired in 2010 after a 13-year career in which he started every one of the 180 games he played for the Seahawks. Jones made nine Pro Bowls in his career, the most in Seahawks history, and was dominant in all phases. Not only did he help open huge holes for running back Shaun Alexander, Jones made it nearly impossible for opposing pass rushers to reach his quarterback. According to statistics kept by Seahawks coaches, Jones allowed just 23 sacks in 5,703 pass attempts and was called for holding just nine times.

QB Matt Hasselbeck

Matt Hasselbeck. Jim Zorn. Dave Krieg. These clearly are the top quarterbacks in Seahawks history. So what separates Hasselbeck, who came to Seattle in 2001 via trade after two seasons as a backup with Green Bay? Not only does he hold the franchise record for career passing yards, he led the Seahawks to their only Super Bowl appearance – in Super Bowl XL after the 2005 season. Yes, Shaun Alexander was the team’s recognized offensive star that season. But Hasselbeck led the NFC in passer rating, threw for nearly 3,500 yards and had 24 passing touchdowns against just nine interceptions. A three-time Pro Bowler, Hasselbeck has thrown for almost 30,000 yards and 176 TDs in a 12-year career.