Source: Norm Evans' Seahawk Report, January 6, 1983
A Team for All Seasons
by Doug Weese
A captain for three years, Simpson never felt like one until McCormack came along.
"All I did was call heads or tails," Simpson said. "McCormack came to me and made me feel like a captain. Before that, who on the team would think I had any voice when everybody knew who the authority was around here?"
"Regardless of the shortened season, this was the year of defense," Simpson said. "With a legitimate defense we didn't have to rely on trick plays. We had never heard our fans cheer 'defense' and that was really something. THe fans played a major role in us winning at the Kingdome. It seemed like each game after the strike the crowd became more and more intense."
Source: Norm Evans' Seahawk Report, January 6, 1983
RumorCentralRumorCentralRumorCentral
Since the resumption of the NFL Season, the Seattle secondary -- cornerbacks Keith Simpson and Dave Brown and safeties John Harris and Kenny Easley - has drawn rave reviews everywhere. Typical of the comments about the Seahawks' last line of defense were those offered by New England Coach Ron Meyer and Cincinnati quarterback Kenny Anderson. Said Meyer: "That unit is one of the best in the NFL today. There's a lot of talent there and those four guys really know how to work together. I can only see them getting better and better, which is scary because they are one of the best secondaries in the league as far as I'm concerned." Added Anderson: "Seattle has one of the best defenses in the league, especially at stopping the pass. We watched film on them and we knew they would be tough. They didn't disappoint us. Seattle is good against the pass because they have very good people back there. They are all big and strong, they move well and they react to the ball and read the quarterback. Besides that, they hit. It's one of the tougher secondaries in the league for me to throw against." The Seahawk secondary, for the first few games after the season resumed, was leading the NFL in pass defense, giving up just 106.5 yards per game.
A third Seattle secondary member, team captain Keith Simpson, who also warranted consideration, according to Mike McCormack, who cited the fifth-year cornerback for outstanding tackling and consistent overall play.
Source: Norm Evans’ Seahawk Report, Oct. 29 – Nov. 4, 1979
A Seahawk Blueprint: from expansion to contention
By Gary Huff
In the third year, Seattle went 9-7 and barely missed not only a spot in the playoffs but also the division championship. Much of the improvement can certainly be traced to the development of the young players acquired during the previous two campaigns. But again in 1978, Jack Patera and John Thompson used all available means to improve the team.
In the draft, the Hawks added Keith Simpson
(1st round), Keith Butler (2nd), Louis Bullard (5th)
and John Harris (7th). Again there was one disappointment. Third-rounder Bob Jury fell behind Harris at free safety and as a result wound up in San Francisco. At last report, Jury was no longer in the NFL.
Seattle also used the trade route to good ad¬vantage in 1978, acquiring Efren Herrera and Bill Gregory from the Cowboys. Herrera cost Seattle a fifth-rounder whereas Dallas got sixth round pick and an exchange of third round drafting positions for Gregory. Detroit gave up Ernie Price for defensive lineman Bill Cooke (who has since returned) and Seattle's position in the 1979 eighth round.
As in prior seasons, several free agents made the 1978 team. Still with the Seahawks are Kerry Justin and Brian Peets.
Chiefs’ quarterbacks help set record
In joint effort with Seahawks' defensive unit
Nov. 5, 1984
The Capital Sports
Three Kansas City quarterbacks combined for a National Football
League record-breaking performance. Unfortunately for the Chiefs, the records were racked up by the Seattle Seahawks' defense.
Six times the Seattle defenders picked off Kansas City passes, and they returned four for touchdowns - an NFL record - as the Seahawks routed the Chiefs 45-0. Defensive backs Dave Brown, Keith Simpson and Ken Easley returned the interceptions for touchdowns
as the Seahawks set another league record with 362 return yards.
Brown, one of four remaining original members of the Seahawks, who entered the league in 1976, picked off a Bill Kenney pass and streaked 95 yards for a score, then later returned a Todd Blackledge pass 58 yards for another TD. The two interception scores tied another record.
