2007 MEDIA GUIDE - Seahawks Online Media Packet

FRANCHISE HISTORY 348FRANCHISE HISTORY1972 — 6/15 Seattle Professional Football, a group of business and community leaders,announces their intention to attempt to secure a National Football League franchise for theCity of Seattle. Herman Sarkowsky serves as spokesman for the group. 11/2 Constructionbegins on The Kingdome.1974 — 6/4The National Football League announces that Seattle will have a franchise for the1976 season. 12/5The National Football League announces that it has voted membershipto Seattle Professional Football, Inc., headed by Lloyd W. Nordstrom with partners HermanSarkowsky, D.E. “Ned” Skinner, Howard S. Wright, M. Lamont Bean, and Lynn P.Himmelman.1975 — 3/6 John Thompson, Executive Director of the NFL Management Council, namedGeneral Manager. 6/17 Nickname “Seahawks” selected from 20,365 entries and 1,741 differentnames. One hundred fifty-one suggest “Seahawks.” 7/25 Season ticket applicationsmailed. 7/28 Season ticket applications accepted — 24,168 received the first day. 8/23Season ticket sales closed after target of 59,000 reached. 12/18 Seahawks agree to a 20-year lease agreement to play all games in the Kingdome.1976 — 1/3 Jack Patera, defensive line coach of the Minnesota Vikings, named head coach.1/20 Lloyd W. Nordstrom, spokesman for the Nordstrom family, the Seahawks’ majorityowner, dies of a heart attack while vacationing in Mexico. 3/30 Veteran Allocation held inNew York City. Seahawks select 39 NFL veterans. 4/8-9 Seahawks select 25 collegians intheir first college draft. Notre Dame’s Steve Niehaus is the first choice and he flies to Seattlefor evening news conference on April 8. 7/9 Seahawks open training camp at EasternWashington University in Cheney. 8/1 Seahawks play first game before 60,825 fans in theKingdome. San Francisco holds on to defeat Seattle, 27-20, as Jim Zorn is tackled on the49ers’ two-yard line when the gun sounds. 8/29 Seahawks capture first victory, a 17-16preseason win over San Diego, as Ron Howard catches a three-yard Jim Zorn pass for thewinning touchdown with only 13 seconds remaining in the contest. 9/12 Seattle opensregular season play with a near miss against St. Louis, 30-24. The game ends with theCardinals intercepting a pass in the end zone. 10/17 Seahawks win Expansion Bowl with13-10 victory over host Tampa Bay. Linebacker Mike Curtis blocks a Tampa Bay field goalattempt with 42 seconds remaining to preserve the victory. 11/7 Seahawks capture theirfirst regular season victory at home with a 30-13 win over Atlanta. Sherman Smithbecomes the first Seattle back to rush for over 100 yards with 124 yards on 14 carries.1977 — 1/17 Seahawks host the Pro Bowl and it is the first sellout in the 27-year history of thegame and is the largest crowd under the AFC vs. NFC format. AFC scores a 24-14 winbefore 63,214 fans. 5/3 Seattle trades its first-round draft choice, the second player in thedraft, to Dallas for the Cowboys’ first-round selection and three second-round picks. TheSeahawks select Steve August, offensive guard from Tulsa, on the first round. 10/30 Aftermissing four games with an injury, Jim Zorn returns to lead Seattle to a 56-17 triumph overBuffalo. The Seahawks set 15 club records and equal six, including Zorn’s four TD passes.11/13 Seattle defense blanks the New York Jets, 17-0, in Shea Stadium, the first time anestablished team is shutout by a second-year team. 12/18 Seahawks win their fifth gameof the year, a 20-19 decision over Cleveland before 61,583 fans in the Kingdome, to establisha record for most wins ever by a second-year expansion team.1978 — 5/3 Keith Simpson, cornerback from Memphis State, is selected as Seattle’s firstrounddraft choice followed by his college teammate Keith Butler, a linebacker, on the secondround. 10/8 Efren Herrera kicks a 19-yard field goal on the final play of the game togive Seattle a 29-28 win over the Minnesota Vikings. 11/26 Seattle becomes the first teamsince 1965 to beat Oakland twice during the regular season with a 17-16 win on EfrenHerrera’s 46-yard field goal with just three seconds remaining. 12/17 Seahawks end theirthird season with a 9-7 record and finish one game behind Denver in the AFC West standingsfollowing a 23-19 win over Kansas City. Al Hunter rushes for 133 yards on 27 carriesas Seahawks perform before sixth-straight home sellout crowd.1979 — 1/29 Steve Largent catches a record-equaling five passes as Seattle’s first representativeto the Pro Bowl. National Football Conference defeats Largent and his AFC team-