Top 100 Seahawks Countdown: No. 90-81
Over the course of 44 seasons, the Seahawks have boasted plenty of star power on offense, defense, and special teams. But which players stand out as the best of the best in franchise history?
To take part in the festivities, each member of the Seahawk Maven writing staff assembled their own individual rankings for the top 100 players in Seahawks history.
After compiling averages from all seven lists, who made the final cut? Continuing our countdown, here’s players No. 90 through 81 with highest ranking, lowest ranking, and analysis courtesy of our writing staff.
90. Daryl Turner, WR
Seahawks Tenure: 1984-1987
Highest Ranking: 78
Lowest Ranking: Unranked
Writer's Take: Drafted in the second round of the 1984 NFL Draft to play the role of Robin with Steve Largent being Batman, "Burner" Turner exploded onto the scene with 715 receiving yards on just 35 receptions, averaging more than 20 yards per reception and scoring 10 touchdowns as a rookie. The next season, he again proved himself to be one of the AFC's most dynamic play makers on the outside, scoring a league-best 13 touchdowns and producing 19.7 yards per reception torching opponents on go routes. Unfortunately, drug abuse derailed his once-promising career from there, as he saw his production dip to 334 receiving yards in 1986 and just 153 receiving yards in 1987. After being traded to the 49ers, he didn't play another game in the NFL, ending his career after only four seasons. But his stat line in a limited time remains incredibly impressive with 36 touchdowns and a career 18.5 yards per reception average, warranting his inclusion on this list. -Corbin Smith
89. Bruce Scholtz, LB
Seahawks Tenure: 1982-1988
Highest Ranking: 68
Lowest Ranking: Unranked
Writer's Take: Affectionately nicknamed “The Stork” due to his 6-foot-6, 240 pound frame, Scholtz started 95 games for the Seahawks from 1982-1988, including nine as a rookie after Seattle drafted him in the second round (33rd overall) in the 1982 draft. While outside linebackers in the 3-4 scheme tend to rack up sacks in today’s pass-happy game, Scholtz excelled as a run defender under Chuck Knox and defensive coordinator Tom Catlin, using his length and strength to string runs out wide and lassoing ball carriers to the ground. Scholtz was a key member of the Seattle’s back-to-back playoff runs in 1983 and 1984, helping the Seahawks jump from 27th (out of 28 teams) in run defense in Jack Patera’s final season as a rookie in 1982 all the way to sixth in the NFL in 1984. The Seahawks allowed just 11 touchdowns on the ground in 16 games that year, tied for the third fewest in the league. -Rob Rang
88. Norm Johnson, K
Seahawks Tenure: 1982-1990
Highest Ranking: 44
Lowest Ranking: Unranked
Writer's Take: You simply can't leave the franchise's all-time leader in scoring off of the top 100. Johnson probably is not the best kicker in franchise history, thanks in large part to his underwhelming 69.7 percent field goal rate, but as a whole, his nine-year career was impressive in Seattle. Only 21 Seahawks players in team history have been named First-Team All-Pro and Johnson is on that list. In 1984, Johnson earned that designation along with a Pro Bowl bid as he made 20 field goals in 24 attempts, his longest being 50 yards, and missed just one extra point attempt. The UCLA product was responsible for 110 points that season and is atop the franchise list with 810 points. His longevity along with his place on top of the franchise scoring list earn him a spot in the top 100. -Nick Lee
87. Justin Britt, C
Seahawks Tenure: 2014-2019
Highest Ranking: 87
Lowest Ranking: 100
Writer's Take: It’s often difficult to measure the success of offensive linemen since there aren't notable statistics like seen at other positions, but knowing that Justin Britt was Seattle's centerpiece along the offensive line for six years speaks volumes about his talent. A second-round pick in 2014, Britt was battling a torn ACL this offseason before he was ultimately released, but his time in Seattle is still something to commemorate. Britt became an immediate starter at right tackle as a rookie before sliding inside to guard for a season and then ultimately thriving at center, which earned him a nomination for Pro Bowl alternate in 2016. Britt brought adaptability, stability, and leadership to an offensive line that lacked continuity for much of his time with the Seahawks and he deserves a ton of credit for helping the team make the playoffs in five of his six seasons. -Aryanna Prasad
86. Jermaine Kearse, WR
Seahawks Tenure: 2011-2014
Highest Ranking: 75
Lowest Ranking: 95
Writer's Take: Following the 2012 NFL Draft, the Seahawks signed Kearse as an undrafted free agent out of Washington – only to have him spend the majority of his rookie campaign on the team’s practice roster. With Sidney Rice tearing his ACL two months into the 2013 campaign, Kearse was able to break out in a huge way for Seattle’s offense, producing 22 receptions for 346 yards, four touchdowns, and averaging 15.7 yards per catch (career-high) over 15 regular season games. In particular, the reliable receiver’s greatest impact came during the postseason, where he recorded 31 catches for 493 yards along with six touchdowns through 12 playoff matchups. While known for his improbable catch during Super Bowl XLIX, Kearse’s most memorable moment occurred during the 2014 NFC Championship game against Green Bay two weeks earlier, as his game-winning 35-yard touchdown catch in overtime sent the Seahawks to their second consecutive Super Bowl. – Thomas Hall
85. Phillip Daniels, DE
Seahawks Tenure: 1996-1999
Highest Ranking: 79
Lowest Ranking: Unranked
Writer's Take: Seattle drafted the 6-foot-6, 310-pound Daniels in 1996 in the fourth round out of Georgia to help bolster the defensive line. In his four-year stint with the Seahawks, he missed just four games. He got better every season he was in Seattle and his pinnacle year was his last with the Seahawks in 1999, where he racked up 9.0 sacks, 15 tackles for loss, two passes defended, and a forced fumble. In his Seahawks career, he amassed 140 tackles and 21.5 sacks. In his last two seasons, he accumulated 15.5 sacks with just under 100 tackles, emerging as one of the best young all-around defensive ends in the conference. Many questioned while the organization allowed him to leave and he wound up playing another 10 NFL seasons with the Bears and Redskins. -Nick Lee
84. Jay Bellamy, S
Seahawks Tenure: 1994-2000
Highest Ranking: 69
Lowest Ranking: Unranked
Writer's Take: Undersized at 5-foot-11, 200 pounds and lacking elite athletic traits for his position, Bellamy went undrafted out of Rutgers before signing with the Seahawks in 1994. He barely played during his first two years with the team before breaking out in a reserve role in his third season, producing three interceptions despite making zero starts. Finally a full-time starter by 1998, he saw action at both safety spots over the next three seasons, filling out the stat sheet with 290 combined tackles, 11 interceptions, four forced fumbles, and 3.0 sacks in 48 games during that span. Helping end a 10-year drought, he played a critical role in Seattle returning to the playoffs in 1999. Given his well-round skill set and impressive production in multiple categories, he deserves to be in the discussion as the most underrated safety in franchise history. -Corbin Smith
83. Ron Mattes, OT
Seahawks Tenure: 1985-1990
Highest Ranking: 73
Lowest Ranking: Unranked
Writer's Take: After being selected by Seattle during the seventh round of the 1985 NFL Draft, Mattes spent his rookie campaign as a “redshirt” and didn’t play a single snap until the following season. With long-time starter Ron Essink departing before the 1986 season, Mattes was able to serve as his replacement and he found instant success as the team’s starting left tackle, starting in all 16 regular season games. While protecting Dave Krieg’s blindside, the 6-foot-6 offensive tackle started in 36 of the Seahawks’ 48 games over the next three seasons. Unfortunately for Mattes, his tenure with the Seahawks came to an end after he started just seven games during the 1990 campaign, with first-round pick Andy Heck taking over as the full-time starter in 1991. – Thomas Hall
82. Red Bryant, DE
Seahawks Tenure: 2008-2013
Highest Ranking: 73
Lowest Ranking: Unranked
Writer's Take: Drafted in the fourth round in 2008, Bryant didn't have much of a chance to establish himself in his first three seasons in Seattle. He played just 17 games in three years, battling injuries and struggling to crack the team's rotation at defensive tackle. But when Pete Carroll came to town in 2010, he moved the 6-foot-5, 326-pound Bryant to defensive end and he immediately became a major cog in the best defense in franchise history. Though he didn't put up gaudy stats with 86 tackles and 2.5 sacks from 2011 to 2013, he proved his worth eating up blocks and allowing linebackers such as Bobby Wagner and K.J. Wright to be free to make tackles in bunches. He was also a valuable leader on the field and in the locker room, mentoring young players such as Bruce Irvin. A starter on the vaunted "Legion of Boom," defense who started 55 games in Seattle, Bryant's career lacked glory, but it did not lack substance. -Colby Patnode
81. Christian Fauria, TE
Seahawks Tenure: 1995-2001
Highest Ranking: 66
Lowest Ranking: Unranked
Writer's Take: When he left Seattle after seven seasons, Fauria was the franchise’s all-time leader in receptions among tight ends, hauling in 166 passes. Though he still checks in second in franchise history behind Jimmy Graham and 20th overall among all Seattle pass-catchers, his production was surprisingly minimal given all of the receptions, combining for just 1,683 yards and seven scores. Fauria’s numbers likely would have been significantly more impressive had the Seahawks had more consistency at quarterback, as his 166 receptions were delivered to him from 10 different quarterbacks, ranging from John Friesz and Stan Gelbaugh early on to Jon Kitna and Matt Hasselbeck later. Once Fauria left Seattle, in fact, he matched his career total for touchdowns in just one season for the Patriots, ultimately winning two Super Bowls in New England and retiring with 252 catches for 2,529 yards and 22 scores over a 13-year NFL career. Perhaps the best indication of Fauria’s value was that over half of his career receptions went for first downs, including 89 for the Seahawks. -Rob Rang
Who else made the cut in our Top 100 Seahawks Countdown? Check out earlier players on our annual rankings below.
