2010 MEDIA GUIDE - Seahawks Online Media Packet

322 HALL OF FAME
MIKE MCCORMACK
1982-88
Pro Football Hall of Fame: Mike McCormack
was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of
Fame on July 28, 1984. He was one of four
players honored in 1984 along with Arnie
Weinmeister, Willie Brown and Charley
Taylor. McCormack played with the
Cleveland Browns from 1954-1962 and
served as head coach of the Philadelphia
Eagles (1973-75), Baltimore Colts (1980-81)
and Seattle Seahawks (1982). He also served
as president and general manager of the
Seahawks. In 1993, he was hired by the
newly formed Carolina Panthers as their
team president and general manager. He
retired from the Panthers’ organization in
1997.
Pro Career: One of the game’s greatest offensive
tackles, he began his pro football career
with the NFL’s 1951 New York Yanks where as
a rookie he earned the starting right tackle
spot. That year he earned the first of six trips
to the Pro Bowl, before being called into military
service. The Baltimore Colts, who
acquired his rights before the start of the
1953 season, traded him to the Cleveland Browns in a massive 15-player deal. Even though
the Browns knew McCormack would not be available for a full year, he was the key man in
the trade. Coach Paul Brown always considered it one of his wisest personnel moves. In his
first season in Cleveland, McCormack, a former University of Kansas star and Chicago native,
was asked to fill the middle guard position that had been vacated by the retiring Bill Willis on
the defensive unit. It was a tall order, considering Willis would himself be elected to the Hall
of Fame. McCormack, not surprisingly, was up to the challenge. He quickly became an important
factor on an excellent Cleveland defensive team. Mike enjoyed perhaps his most memorable
individual moment on the defensive team when, in the 1954 NFL Championship Game,
he stole the ball from Detroit Lions quarterback Bobby Layne to set up one of the early touchdowns
in a 56-10 Cleveland rout. But it was as an offensive tackle that McCormack made his
lasting mark in pro football. Mike was the Browns' offensive right tackle for eight years from
1955 through 1962. During that period, the Browns’ forward wall played a major role in assuring
a balanced offensive approach and McCormack, equally adept as a blocker on rushing
plays and as a quarterback protector, was a stabilizing factor throughout the period.
Seahawks Career: In 1982, McCormack joined the Seattle Seahawks as director of football
operations, eventually becoming president and general manager the following season. He
also served as the Seahawks’ interim head coach for the remainder of the 1982 season when
Jack Patera was fired after the first two games. McCormack took over during the 57-day players
strike and led the team to a 4-3 record. He then returned to his management position
when the Seahawks hired Chuck Knox as their new head coach in 1983. Under McCormack’s
leadership, the Seahawks enjoyed the franchise’s finest years until the mid 2000’s. During his
seven seasons with the team, Seattle reached the postseason four times, including the AFC
Championship Game in 1983.
Personal: Married to wife Ann and has four children; Michael, Tim, Molly and Colleen. Was a
member of the University of Kansas’ all-time team and served as co-captain of the 1950
Jayhawks team.