Seattle Seahawks Top 100 Countdown: Present, Future Hall of Famers Rule in Top 10

From legendary tackle Walter Jones to "Beast Mode," the Top 10 players in Seahawks history feature several of the best to ever play their position in the NFL.

Nov 12, 2007; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks offensive tackle Walter Jones during 24-0 victory over San Francisco 49ers at Qwest Field. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Over the course of 48 seasons, the Seattle Seahawks have boasted plenty of star power on offense, defense, and special teams. But which players stand out as the best of the best closing in on half a century as an NFL franchise?

To take part in the festivities, each member of the All Seahawks writing staff assembled their own individual rankings for the top 100 players in Seahawks history.

After compiling averages from all four lists, who made the final cut? Capping off our countdown with the best of the best constructed of future and current Hall of Famers, here’s the top 10 Seahawks in franchise history with highest ranking, lowest ranking, and analysis courtesy of our writing staff.

10. Marshawn Lynch, RB

Seahawks Tenure: 2010–2015, 2019

Highest Ranking: 8

Lowest Ranking: 12

Writer’s Take: One of the most beloved personalities in the team’s recent history, Lynch dazzled both on and off the field. After being drafted 12th overall by the Buffalo Bills in 2007, Lynch was acquired by the Seahawks via trade three games into the 2010 season. Lynch was immediately productive, but he was immortalized in his first career playoff game against New Orleans when he ripped off a 67-yard rushing touchdown that saw him break nine tackles — a play now known as the “Beast Quake.” The Seahawks, who were 7-9 but slipped into the playoffs, eliminated the 11-6, reigning Super Bowl champion Saints. Lynch was the lifeblood of Seattle’s offense during its Super Bowl-winning season in 2013, rushing for 1,257 yards and 12 touchdowns in the regular season. His rushing total of 1,590 yards in 2012 ranks third in a single season behind Shaun Alexander’s 2004–05 seasons. For his Seahawks career, Lynch is fourth in rushing attempts (1,469) and rushing yards (6,381) and second in rushing touchdowns (58). -Connor Benintendi

9. Shaun Alexander, RB

Seahawks Tenure: 2000–2007

Highest Ranking: 8

Lowest Ranking: 11

Writer’s Take: Few running backs in the NFL had the five-year peak that Alexander did in Seattle from 2001 to 2005. Taken in the first round of the 2000 draft, Alexander validated his lofty draft status in his second season, racking up 1,318 yards and 14 rushing touchdowns, which led the NFL. The Alabama product then rattled off five straight seasons of at least 1,100 rushing yards with no less than 14 touchdowns, earning three Pro Bowl nods and a First-Team All-Pro selection. During Seattle's run to an NFC championship and Super Bowl appearance in 2005, Alexander rewrote franchise and NFL record books with 1,880 rushing yards and an NFL-record 28 touchdowns, including one via the air, on his way to winning MVP. While Marshawn Lynch gets most of the love as Seattle's best running back ever, Alexander makes a strong case with his MVP award and as the franchise's all-time rushing yards and touchdowns leader. His single-season marks will likely never be touched by a Seahawks running back again and a strong argument can be made he's too low on these rankings. -Nick Lee 

8. Jacob Green, DE

Seahawks Tenure: 1980–1991

Highest Ranking: 7

Lowest Ranking: 11

Writer’s Take: When discussing the best players in Seahawks history, the 6-3, 255-pound Green’s name rarely enters the discussion, which is an absolute shame given his durability, longevity, and consistently impressive production during a Hall of Fame-caliber career. Drafted in the first round out of Texas A&M, he became an immediate starter in 1980 and blossomed into the franchise’s first elite pass rusher, racking up 12 or more sacks in four consecutive seasons from 1983 to 1986. He registered a career-best 16.0 sacks for the Seahawks in 1983 and in 12 seasons with the Seahawks, Green exceeded double-digit sacks five times and only posted four seasons with less than six sacks. Two of those years, 1980 and 1981, he was unofficially credited with 18.5 sacks, as the statistic wasn’t officially recorded by the NFL until 1983. Somehow, he only made two Pro Bowl teams, but he did earn All-Pro honors in 1983 and 1984. When he hung up his cleats after the 1992 season, he wrapped up his career with 97.5 sacks, a franchise record and the third-most all-time at the time of his retirement. More than 30 years later, he’s still tied for 45th all-time and the Seahawks rewarded him for his remarkable career by inducting him into the Ring of Honor in 1995. -Corbin Smith

7. Richard Sherman, CB

Seahawks Tenure: 2011–2017

Highest Ranking: 6

Lowest Ranking: 10

Writer’s Take: A fifth-round pick in 2011, Sherman quickly became one of the most dominant cornerbacks in the NFL. Sherman was named a First Team All-Pro in just his second season, and that began a four-season stretch of All-Pro honors for the 6-3, 205-pound defensive back. His eight interceptions in back-to-back seasons (2012–13) were the most in the league during that span, and he picked off less than four passes in a season just twice during his seven years with the Seahawks. Sherman, like many of the other defensive players high on this list, was an integral member of the Legion of Boom defense that helped the team capture a Super Bowl title in 2013. His iconic deflection of 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s pass in the end zone near the end of the 2013 NFC Championship game sealed the 23-17 win for Seattle. Sherman is fifth all-time in Seahawks history with 32 interceptions, and second in passes defensed with 99. -Connor Benintendi

6. Kenny Easley, S

Seahawks Tenure: 1981–1987

Highest Ranking: 5

Lowest Ranking: 7

Dec 29, 1984; Miami, FL, USA; FILE PHOTO; Seattle Seahawks safety (45) Kenny Easley in action against the Miami Dolphins at the Orange Bowl during the 1984 AFC Divisional Playoff game. / Manny Rubio-USA TODAY Sports

Writer’s Take: Easley is the only player in Seahawks history to intercept more than 30 passes while playing less than 100 games for the team, and he is tied with John Harris for the Seahawks single-season interception record (10). Playing all seven seasons of his career in Seattle, Easley exceeded expectations as the No. 4 overall pick out of UCLA in 1981. Easley’s ball-hawking style of play also regularly put him in position to make punishing, well-timed hits, and that was a large part of his identity as an enforcer for Seattle. He and defensive tackle Cortez Kennedy are the only players in franchise history to win Defensive Player of the Year. Easley earned that honor during his 10-interception campaign in 1984 when he also returned two for touchdowns. Additionally, four First-Team All-Pro honors and five Pro Bowl nods landed Easley in the Seahawks’ Ring of Honor in 2012, and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2017. -Connor Benintendi

5. Russell Wilson, QB

Seahawks Tenure: 2012–2021

Highest Ranking: 5

Lowest Ranking: 6

Writer’s Take: After handing Matt Flynn a three-year contract in 2012, no one expected a third-round pick out of Wisconsin to immediately win the starting gig and play in every single regular season game in 2012. Luckily for Wilson, that’s exactly what happened during his rookie season, as he established a new team rookie record with 26 touchdown passes to lead the Seahawks to the playoffs. Once viewed as too small to play quarterback in the NFL, Wilson silenced doubters by leading the Seahawks to back-to-back Super Bowls and shattering the franchise record books, throwing for 37,059 yards, 292 touchdowns, and a 65 percent completion rate in 10 seasons with the franchise. He also ushered in the era of the dual threat quarterback, rushing for over 4,500 yards and 23 touchdowns during that span. While his push to eventually get traded out of town hurt his popularity and his struggles with the Broncos may have put his Hall of Fame chances in limbo, there's no denying his greatness in Seahawks history with five seasons of 30 or more touchdown passes, nine Pro Bowl selections, and an All-Pro selection, easily making him the best quarterback the franchise has ever had. -Corbin Smith

4. Cortez Kennedy, DT

Seahawks Tenure: 1990–2000

Highest Ranking: 3

Lowest Ranking: 4

Writer’s Take: Boasting a personality as large as the man himself, Kennedy wasted little time living up to his No. 3 overall selection in the 1990 NFL Draft. He made his first Pro Bowl in 1991, posting 73 tackles and 6.5 sacks, a precursor to one of the best seasons by a defensive tackle in NFL history. Despite playing on a two-win Seahawks squad in 1992, his greatness could not be ignored. The former Miami star was recognized as NFL Defensive Player of the Year and earned First-Team All-Pro honors after amassing 92 tackles, 14 sacks, and four fumble recoveries. One of the most complete defensive tackles in NFL history, Kennedy excelled at shooting the gap and chasing down opposing quarterbacks as well as grinding out plays to stuff the run. From 1991 to 1999, he made the Pro Bowl in eight out of nine seasons and was named First-Team All-Pro three consecutive years from 1992 to 1994. On five different occasions, he posted at least 70 tackles and 6.5 sacks, incredible production for an interior defensive lineman. He also earned a deserved reputation as one of the NFL's "good guys," always willing to help teammates and taking young players under his wing. The game-changing defender was inducted into the team's Ring of Honor in 2006 and elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2012. -Corbin Smith

3. Steve Largent, WR

Seahawks Tenure: 1976–1989

Highest Ranking: 3

Lowest Ranking: 4

Writer’s Take: When the Seahawks began their existence in 1976, they acquired an unheralded prospect in Largent prior to the start of their inaugural season in exchange for an eight-round pick. All he did was become one of the most prolific receivers in NFL history. The Tulsa alum became Seattle's first ever Pro Bowler in 1978, with 1,168 yards and eight scores. The Pro Bowls just kept coming from there, as he eventually earned seven selections over his 14-year career, with eight 1,000-yard seasons under his belt. Twice, he led the NFL in receiving yards - 1979 and 1985 - illustrating his long reign atop the NFL as the best receiver in the game. When Largent retired after the 1989 season, he possessed every major receiving record in league history, including receiving yards (13,089) and touchdowns (100). The game has changed immensely since his playing days and he's been surpassed by several players in both of those categories, but his records still hold in Seahawks lore as he remains the franchise's leader in receptions, yards, and he has more than twice the receiving touchdowns as the second-best player. More than three decades later, Largent is clearly still the best skill player to ever put on a Seahawks uniform. -Nick Lee 

2. Bobby Wagner, LB

Seahawks Tenure: 2012–21, 2023

Highest Ranking: 2

Lowest Ranking: 2

Dec 18, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner (54) exits the locker room before pregame warmups against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lumen Field. / Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Writer’s Take: The best middle linebacker of his era, “B-Wagz” has recorded over 100 tackles in each of his 12 NFL seasons and has exceeded 130 tackles nine times, including leading the league with 183 tackles in 2023 in a brief second stint with the Seahawks. Aside from being the most reliable tackler in the game for over a decade, he’s also been a premier coverage linebacker for much of his career, as illustrated by his 68 passes defensed and 13 career interceptions. As a result of his dynamic skill set, he’s been selected as a First or Second-Team All-Pro in 10 consecutive seasons, with nine of those coming in a Seattle uniform. The fact that Wagner has not won Defensive Player of the Year is a disgrace, especially looking back at his dominant 2016 season. Along with posting a career-best 168 combined tackles, he recorded 4.5 sacks, made 18 quarterback hits, and intercepted a pass, showing off his well-rounded game at its peak. His leadership and presence on the defense cannot be measured by stats alone and he has lasted the longest from the Legion of Boom, Super Bowl-winning era, making him a surefire top-three choice in Seahawks history. -Nick Lee

1. Walter Jones, T

Seahawks Tenure: 1997–2008

Highest Ranking: 1

Lowest Ranking: 1

Writer’s Take: Still the model left tackle more than 15 years after his final snap, no Seahawk achieved the greatness of Jones, who belongs in the discussion as one of the greatest players to play in the NFL regardless of position. Entering the league as a first-round pick out of Florida State in 1997, he quickly found his way into the starting lineup at left tackle right and started all 180 games he played in over the next 12 seasons. During that time, the Seahawks attempted over 5,500 passes and “Big Walt” gave up only 23 quarterback sacks protecting the blind side. Even more astonishingly, he was flagged for a holding penalty just nine times. That’s greatness that few, if any, players can match at any position. Starting in 1999, Jones made nine Pro Bowls in 10 seasons and earned First-Team All-Pro honors four times, including 2005 when Seattle won its first-ever NFC Championship and a berth to the Super Bowl. Additionally, he was a Second-Team All Pro selection twice and was named to the NFL 2000s All-Decade Team. Ensuring he would be remembered forever in the city of Seattle and the State of Washington, then-governor Christine Gregoire proclaimed April 30 as “Walter Jones Day” shortly after his retirement in 2010 and he joined Largent and Kennedy as the only players in franchise history to have his number retired. -Corbin Smith