Steve Largent

Steve Largent transformed from an NFL castoff to a Hall of Fame legend, establishing himself as the gold standard for wide receivers before Jerry Rice redefined the position. Born on September 28, 1954, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Largent attended Putnam City High School in Warr Acres before starring at the University of Tulsa, where he studied biology. In 1974, he recorded 884 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns, followed by 51 catches for 1,000 yards and 14 scores in 1975, earning second-team All-American honors.

Despite his All-American credentials, the 5-foot-11, 187-pound Largent fell to the fourth round of the 1976 NFL draft, selected 117th overall by the Houston Oilers. After four preseason games, coach Bum Phillips informed him he would be cut. However, his college offensive coordinator Jerry Rhome, now with the expansion Seattle Seahawks, convinced head coach Jack Patera to trade a 1977 eighth-round pick for Largent—one of the greatest steals in NFL history. Largent spent his entire 14-year career with Seattle (1976-1989), amassing 819 receptions for 13,089 yards and 100 touchdowns across 200 games. He earned seven Pro Bowl selections (1978, 1979, 1981, 1984-1987), three first-team All-Pro honors (1983, 1985, 1987), and led the NFL in receiving yards twice (1,237 in 1979, 1,287 in 1985). When he retired, Largent held all of the major NFL receiving records.

Largent's playing strengths transcended physical limitations: exceptional sure-handedness, earning him the nickname "Yoda" for his ability to catch anything. His greatest moments showcased clutch championship performance: On December 31, 1983, in the divisional playoff against Miami, Largent caught a crucial sixteen-yard pass on third down, then a forty-yarder to the two-yard line, setting up Curt Warner's game-winning touchdown with two minutes remaining, propelling the Seahawks to the AFC Championship Game; and on December 10, 1989, becoming the first receiver in NFL history to catch 100 touchdown passes on a ten-yard reception from Dave Krieg in Cincinnati, breaking Don Hutson's record and cementing his Hall of Fame legacy.

Following his retirement, Largent entered politics, winning a special election to the U.S. House of Representatives for Oklahoma's 1st congressional district in 1994. He served four terms through 2002, resigning on February 15, 2002, to run for Oklahoma governor but narrowly lost to Democratic state senator Brad Henry by under 7,000 votes. Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1995 (his first year of eligibility), Largent became the first Seahawks player enshrined in Canton and the first to have his number retired (#80 in 1992). He was the inaugural inductee into the Seahawks Ring of Honor in 1989, named to the NFL 1980s All-Decade Team and the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team. Largent married his wife Terry, with whom he has four children, including his son Kramer, born with spina bifida. The University of Tulsa retired his #83 in 2008. The annual Steve Largent Award, established in 1989, honors Seahawks players or coaches exemplifying spirit, dedication, and integrity.