7 Former Seahawks Tabbed as Modern-Era Nominees for Hall of Fame's Class of 2021
Seven players with prior ties to the Seahawks have been selected as Modern-Era nominees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2021.
Headlining the group, running back Shaun Alexander hopes to finally break through as one of the 25 semifinalists after coming up short in recent years. The former NFL MVP rushed for over 1,110 yards in five straight seasons from 2001 to 200, scored 100 rushing touchdowns, and earned All-Pro honors twice in eight seasons with the Seahawks, proving to be one of the best runners from his era.
However, Alexander failed to reach 10,000 career rushing yards and his career his an abrupt wall after scoring a then-record 27 rushing touchdowns in 2005, which may explain his omission from Canton to this point. Struggling with injuries after signing a mega contract, he never eclipsed 1,000 yards in Seattle again and was out of the league three years later.
Alexander wasn't the only former Seattle running back to earn another shot at making the Hall, as Ricky Watters was also nominated. Though the former Notre Dame standout played most of his career with the 49ers and Eagles, he had three straight seasons with over 1,200 rushing yards with the Seahawks from 1998 to 2000.
While his mercurial personality didn't necessarily endear him to media members and has played a role in preventing him from being enshrined to this point, there's no denying Watters has a Hall-worthy resume. He had seven seasons with more than 1,000 rushing yards, scored 91 total touchdowns, and nearly hit 15,000 yards from scrimmage in his 10-year career.
Long-time Seahawks starting quarterback Dave Krieg also finds himself as a nominee for the Pro Football Hall of Fame once again. He played 12 of his 19 NFL seasons in the Pacific Northwest, throwing for 26,132 yards and 195 touchdowns, which stood as a franchise record until Russell Wilson eclipsed it in 2018.
After leaving Seattle, Krieg played for the Chiefs, Lions, Cardinals, Bears, and Titans to close out his lengthy, successful career. He retired after the 1998 season with 261 career touchdown passes, which ranks 18th in NFL history, while also throw for over 38,000 yards in 213 games.
While Krieg's overall numbers stack up favorably against other all-time greats, he's often been docked for his longevity being a major factor behind his impressive stats and only earned three Pro Bowl nods in his career. He also had four seasons of 20 or more interceptions, which has hurt his stock trying to make it to Canton.
Defensive tackle Kevin Williams will be eligible for induction for the first time after retiring following the 2015 season. He played one lone season in Seattle, producing 31 tackles and 3.0 sacks in 16 games while helping the team return to the Super Bowl for a second straight year.
A five-time First-Team All-Pro and six-time Pro Bowler, Williams registered 528 tackles and 63.0 sacks in 13 NFL seasons, playing the vast majority of his career with the Vikings.
Among other players with Seahawks ties making the cut, safety Merton Hanks, kicker John Kasay, and punter Jeff Feagles were also selected as three of the 130 nominees. Tom Flores, who coached the Seahawks from 1992 to 1994, recently was selected as a Senior Coach finalist.
Per the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Modern-Era nominees will be reduced down to 25 semifinalists in November and 15 finalists in January. The Selection Committee will meet on February 6, 2021 to elect the Class of 2021, with no set number of enshrinees.
