Every Seahawks QB, 1976-2024

The complete Seahawks QB history

If the Seahawks make a change at quarterback this offseason, Geno Smith’s replacement will become the 25th different player to start at the position for the Seattle franchise. That’s an average of one new starter every two years.

Of course, there’s a HUGE difference between a starter and a backup who needs to make a start but the Seahawks have still had a lot of turnover at the position since 1976. That’s partly due to the fact that the Seahawks have the NFL’s most significant aversion to investing in quarterbacks.

What does that history look like? Today’s Seaside Joe will EXTENSIVELY cover that history. If you think this newsletter is adding some value to your life as a Seahawks fan, please consider subscribing for $5 per month, leaving a comment, and/or sharing this with other fans.

Note: Dates are only including years in which the quarterback made at least one start, so that’s why the seasons may not line up with when these players were first or last on the roster.

QB Jim Zorn, 1976-1984 (40-60)

Acquired via: Undrafted in 1975, signed in 1976

Starts with Seattle: 100

Key franchise ranks: 20,122 yards (4th), 107 TD (4th), 133 interceptions (2nd)

Seaside Joe would rather hear stories about Zorn from the fans who actually watched him play instead of try to recount something that happened before I was born, so please share those in the comments — I’ll open the comments up to EVERYONE today (including free subs and non-subs) so that we can read as many tales as possible:

As a matter of fact, I spent more time at Zorn’s house in Mercer Island than watching him play for the Seahawks. After college, I worked for a company that was making a video about Zorn and we spent an afternoon in his backyard, plus there was an appearance by Steve Largent. They were both just regular “dad type” of guys, you would have never guessed that they had set the tone for an entire NFL franchise.

Another interesting nugget is that he went to Cerritos Junior College, which is the same school that former Seahawks D.J. Reed and T.J. Houshmandzadeh played for. It’s also where Joe Gibbs went to college, and coincidentally Zorn replaced Gibbs as Washington’s head coach in 2008.

Other backups

In 1976, backup Bill Munson threw 37 passes and had one touchdown with three interceptions.

From 1980-1981, backup Sam Adkins (10th round pick in 1977) went 17-of-36 with two touchdowns and four interceptions. He was sacked 9 times despite only throwing 39 passes!

QB Steve Myer, 1977 (1-3)

Acquired via: 4th round, 93rd overall pick in 1976

Starts with Seattle: 4

Key franchise ranks: 6th-highest drafted QB in franchise history, highest INT% (8.8%) of any Seahawks QB with over 40 attempts

In 1977, Myer had one of the worst starts by any quarterback on any team in any game in any year: Myer went 5-of-23 with four interceptions in a 31-0 loss to the Patriots, meaning he almost had as many picks as he had completions. And yet the next week, Myer had four touchdown passes in a 30-23 win over the Bucs.

Overall, Myer threw six touchdowns and 12 interceptions over seven appearances — only four extended appearances — and then he added two more picks in 1978 but never started for any NFL team ever again.

Myer’s 8.8% rate of interceptions is the third-highest by any QB in the Super Bowl era for players with at least 150 career attempts; only Kim McQuilken (10.7%) and Scott Bull (8.8%) are as high or higher.

QB Dave Krieg, 1981-1991 (70-49)

Acquired via: Undrafted in 1980

Starts with Seattle: 119

Key franchise ranks: 26,132 yards (3rd), 195 TDs (2nd), 148 INTs (most)

The only two players in Milton College history to reach the NFL are Dave Krieg and Dave Kraayeveld, both of whom played for the Seahawks. The first Dave K. had a more storied career though.

Just like Zorn, Krieg was essentially a backup at a small school that just happened to have a football team who then eventually overcame the odds by winning one of Seattle’s last roster spots and working his way into a franchise quarterback.

Krieg got his first Seahawks start in 1981, then had two more in 1982 and eight more in 1983 until becoming Seattle’s full-time starter in 1984 and leading them to a 12-4 record and the AFC Championship game. He was the first Seahawks QB to make a Pro Bowl (he made three overall), although Zorn finished third in MVP voting in 1978.

I repeat, your stories about Krieg will be better than mine:

QB Gale Gilbert, 1986 (0-2)

Acquired via: Undrafted in 1985

Starts with Seattle: 2

Key franchise ranks: Has more passing yards with Seahawks than Drew Lock or Brock Huard

Reddit legend JaguarGator9 made this video calling Chuck Knox’s decision to bench Krieg for Gilbert in 1986 as “the worst QB change in Seahawks history”.

After leaving the Seahawks, Gilbert’s teams made five straight Super Bowls (4 by Bills, 1 by Chargers) but went 0-5.

More specific fun fact: Gilbert and I share the same birthday.

QB Bruce Mathison, 1987 (1-1)

Acquired via: Free agency probably

Starts with Seattle: 2

Key franchise ranks: 47.4% completion rate is lowest by any QB who has ever started for the Seahawks

When I hear “Bruce Mathison” I think this must be somebody’s stepdad, not NFL quarterback. The bulk of Mathison’s career was seven starts for the Bills in 1985 (4 TD/14 INT) and hanging on for dear life, he made two relief starts for Krieg in 1987, a strike season. Here he is doing an ad for Pop Warner football in 1985:

QB Jeff Kemp, 1987-1991 (3-4)

Acquired via: Free agent signing

Starts with Seattle: 7

Key franchise ranks: 18 interceptions is 5 more than Tarvaris Jackson had despite Jackson making twice as many starts

1987 was a strike shortened the season by one game but 15% of the NFLPA crossed the picket lines, including Kemp. In his lone start that year, Kemp had 344 yards and 4 touchdowns but the circumstances of the game and the season sort of muddy the waters of those stats.

A backup to Joe Montana the previous year (and he threw 11 touchdowns in six games, more than Joe had in eight games), Kemp is just another example of the Seahawks saying, “Sure, let’s just try this guy out and see what happens.”

Kemp had another start in 1988, but he went 1-of-12 with three interceptions!

After making five more starts in 1991 — and throwing 12 interceptions that year — Kemp finished out his career with the Eagles after being released by Seattle midseason. Father Jack Kemp was one of the best players in AFL history.

QB Kelly Stouffer, 1988-1992 (5-11)

Acquired via: Traded a first and two fifths to Cardinals

Starts with Seattle: 16

Key franchise ranks: 7 TD passes in 16 games, Stouffer’s 1.6% TD rate is the second-worst in franchise history ahead of only Dan McGwire

A failed physical caused Kenny Easley to be nixed out of the deal, which meant the Seahawks had to re-do their offer for Stouffer. In any case, it was always a bad trade. A year after being the sixth overall pick, Stouffer started six games for Seattle and despite a promising start to his career, could never win the job outright. He went 2-8 over the next four years with three touchdowns and 13 interceptions.

“Down-But-Not-Out QB” Stouffer broke his nose on his first career TD pass, which is certainly a fact.

QB Dan McGwire, 1991-1994 (2-3)

Acquired via: 16th overall pick in 1991

Starts with Seattle: 5

Key franchise ranks: Tallest (6’8) QB in history?

Four different QBs made a start for Seattle in 1991: Krieg, Kemp, Stouffer, and McGwire. But in his lone rookie start, the highest draft pick at the position in franchise history at that point saw less action than his backup despite winning 31-3. Knox said he wanted to go back to Kemp in the second half and after that fans wouldn’t see much of McGwire for awhile.

He made one start in 1992 but by then had been demoted to third string and he wouldn’t return to start again until 1994, when he made three starts and failed to throw a touchdown in any of them. I assume McGwire is still the tallest starting QB in NFL history (he set a record in 1991) but I wouldn’t even bother to look it up. I know Brock Osweiler is also tall.

QB Stan Gelbaugh, 1992-1996 (1-8)

Acquired via: Free agency

Starts with Seattle: 9

Key franchise ranks: 1 very impressive fourth quarter comeback/GWD

He was once “The champion of the world”…Or so they tried to say. Gelbaugh was “World League MVP” in 1991 but the European league’s trial run by the NFL didn’t last very long.

Imagine Dan Orlovsky before Dan Orlovsky…Gelbaugh helped the Seahawks go 2-14 in 1992 by losing all eight of his starts that season. Unfortunately for Seattle, it would have been much better to go 1-15.

To his credit, Gelbaugh threw a TD on the final play of regulation against the Broncos on MNF to force OT, helping the Seahawks complete a 13-3 fourth quarterback comeback victory:

QB Rick Mirer, 1993-1996 (20-31)

Acquired via: 2nd overall pick in 1993

Starts with Seattle: 51

Key franchise ranks: 9,094 yards (6th), 56 INTs (5th-most)

If the Seahawks had lost one more game the previous season then they would have gotten the number one pick (Seattle has never had the number one pick) and most likely drafted local vinyard owner Drew Bledsoe. His career was definitely more good than great, but the Seahawks have truly never had a quarterback like Bledsoe: A “golden boy” draft prospect who sort of does live up to the hype.

Oh well. And the Mariners could have had Stephen Strasburg and the Sonics should have kept Scottie Pippen.

On the bright side, because the NFL really did not understand what draft picks were worth at the time, the Seahawks were able to trade Mirer to the Bears in 1997 for a first round pick.

• The Seahawks have acquired more first round picks by trading QBs (3) than they have actually used first or second round picks on drafting QBs (2)

What did you think of Mirer at the time he was drafted? Were you skeptical or did you think Seattle had found their guy?

QB John Friesz, 1995-1998 (6-5)

Acquired via: Free agency?

Starts with Seattle: 11

Key franchise ranks: He did have a winning record as starter, that’s something.

Side note: There just seem to be a ton of QBs connections between the Seahawks and the Chargers and the Bills. A lot of these players had stints with San Diego or Buffalo, if not both.

A native of Coeur d’Alene, ID, Friesz was the starting quarterback when I started following the Seahawks closely. So yeah, I think that says a lot about what fans are willing to accept at the QB position. Friesz is in the University of Idaho Hall of Fame:

In 1996, all-time QB NAME Gino Torretta went 5-of-16 in brief appearances as the backup. If you thought Torretta went to Miami, you’d be correct.

QB Warren Moon, 1997-1998 (11-13)

Acquired via: Free agency

Starts with Seattle: 24

Key franchise ranks: 212.4 passing yards per game (4th)

If Friesz was my introduction to the Seahawks, then Moon was the starter who let me know that it was perfectly legal for Seattle to at least try and have a good quarterback. Even at the end of his Hall of Fame career, Moon was entertaining and productive, leading the league with 245.2 passing yards per game in 1997.

QB Jon Kitna, 1997-2000 (18-15)

Acquired via: Undrafted free agent in 1996 (barely)

Starts with Seattle: 33

Key franchise ranks: 49 TDs (6th), 45 INTs (6th-most)

You can’t get more “Seahawks QB” than a guy who could barely make the team at Central Washington who then gets a lucky tryout with the Seahawks, eventually wins the starting job in Seattle, and will have fans in the area forever.

Kitna is an example of a quarterback who inspires and deserves all the credit he gets for overcoming the odds, and also what happens when a team sets too low of a ceiling on what’s acceptable at the position. He’s a good quarterback and just like Trent Dilfer or Brad Johnson, a team probably could have won a Super Bowl with Jon Kitna if everything else went right, but you can also see why the Bengals drafted Carson Palmer to replace him.

Or maybe not? Maybe your perspective on Kitna is different and the Seahawks should have stayed the course with Kitna? Tell me your Kitna stories!

QB Glenn Foley, 1999 (0-1)

Acquired via: Traded 7th round pick to Jets

Starts with Seattle: 1

Key franchise ranks: Only QB in franchise history to make at least one start and have 0 interceptions with the team

In his only start for the Seahawks, Foley threw two touchdowns in a 14-13 win over the Bears.

QB Brock Huard, 2000 (0-4)

Acquired via: 3rd round, 77th overall pick in 1999

Starts with Seattle: 4

Key franchise ranks: Most starts in franchise history without a win

As a rookie in 2000, Huard had all the momentum in the world to be Seattle’s franchise QB after a solid career at the University of Washington. In his first three starts, his 3 TD game was bookended by the Seahawks only managing to score 3 points in each of those contests. He was destined to work in radio, which is anything but a bad trade off.

QB Matt Hasselbeck, 2001-2010 (69-62)

Acquired via: First round pick swap with Packers + 3rd round pick

Starts with Seattle: 131

Key franchise ranks: 29,434 yards (2nd), 174 TDs (3rd), 128 INTs (3rd-most), 82.2 passer rating (really good for the era!)

If I pinpoint one thing I remember about Hasselbeck’s career, it’s that in 2005 he didn’t throw any interceptions on the road after throwing two in Jacksonville in Week 1. Being able to combine an 8-0 record at home with a 5-3 record on the road is what vaulted Seattle to the number one seed and being able to reach the Super Bowl that year and Hasselbeck was so solid and dependable, even if he won’t be called “spectacular”.

The other thing I remember is that he wasn’t afraid of a fake snake.

QB Trent Dilfer, 2001-2004 (8-4)

Acquired via: Free agent

Starts with Seattle: 12

Key franchise ranks: I don’t know, he had an 8-4 record, that’s weird

I have to give credit to the Ravens for doing something that most teams still don’t seem to understand, even including the Ravens (Joe Flacco). Baltimore won the Super Bowl in 2000 and then they were like, “OK, bye!” to Dilfer after the season. The Seahawks won the four games he started in 2001, but in due time it was apparent that Hasselbeck would be the better quarterback sooner or later.

Surprisingly, Seattle was able to trade Dilfer for a fourth round pick in 2005, which the Seahawks then used as part of a trade that year to move up for Lofa Tatupu in the second round.

Speaking of the Ravens, this is how much Brian Billick hated Trent Dilfer even as they were winning the Super Bowl:

QB Seneca Wallace, 2006-2009 (5-9)

Acquired via: 4th round, 110th overall pick in 2003

Starts with Seattle: 14

Key franchise ranks: 4.5% TD rate is 4th-best

For all his limitations as a passer, Wallace still had 25 TD/14 INT with the Seahawks in his career. I think Seattle maintained a belief for a long time that Wallace could replace Hasselbeck as the franchise quarterback — in 2008 he had 11 TD/3 INT over eight starts — but it was just never quite good enough.

Another player on this list who played at a junior/community college, Iowa State was the only program to make an offer to Wallace to transfer as a QB. Maybe he was just ahead of his time.

QB Charlie Frye, 2008 (0-1)

Acquired via: Traded 6th round pick to Browns

Starts with Seattle: 1

Key franchise ranks: Fewest career yards with Seahawks (83) for QB who started at least one game

It looked like Frye was going to become a long-term answer for the Browns after a promising finish to his second season, but he lost his job after one week in 2007 and that opened the door for Derek Anderson’s confusing Pro Bowl season. Frye, who is now the OC at Florida Atlantic, had two touchdowns and two picks against the Packers in his only Seattle start.

QB Charlie Whitehurst, 2010-2011 (1-3)

Acquired via: 2nd round pick swap + 3rd round pick to Chargers

Starts with Seattle: 4

Key franchise ranks: Most punchlines

Despite how the stories get told in the years since, the Seahawks didn’t trade that much for Charlie Whitehurst and they didn’t pay that much for Matt Flynn. Did they trade too much and pay too much? Absolutely! But the costs were nothing that would cripple a franchise.

QB Tarvaris Jackson, 2011 (7-7)

Acquired via: Free agency

Starts with Seattle: 14

Key franchise ranks: 15 TD (11th), 3,279 yards (10th)

In another universe, could Jackson have helped the Seahawks win the Super Bowl? I doubt that. But he was an acceptable low-risk, medium-reward shot in 2011 free agency and did his part as Russell Wilson’s backup from 2013-2015. His Alabama State highlights make it obvious why he was a second round pick:

QB Russell Wilson, 2012-2021 (104-53-1)

Acquired via: 3rd round, 75th overall pick in 2012

Starts with Seattle: 158

Key franchise ranks: 37,059 yards (1st), 292 TDs (1st), 1.8% INT rate (1st), 4,689 rushing yards (1st among QBs, 5th overall), 101.8 passer rating (1st)

What can be said about Wilson that isn’t well known already? Maybe the most important thing to keep reminding people about is that Wilson will undoubtedly go down as one of the most under-appreciated Super Bowl winning quarterbacks in NFL history.

It’s too bad that the last few years will only serve the skeptics who have doubted him, but the Seahawks don’t have another QB on this list who rivals him in terms of talent and on-field success. Seattle was able to win 10+ games in eight of his ten seasons, which represents more than half of all the 10+ win seasons in franchise history.

Backup Matt Flynn, one of the most expensive free agent QB signings in franchise history, went 5-of-9 in relief in 2012. He ended up starting just 5 more games in the rest of his career, which was 3 more starts than Flynn had when he signed with Seattle.

QB Geno Smith, 2021-2024 (28-24)

Acquired via: Free agency

Starts with Seattle: 52

Key franchise ranks: 68.5% completions (1st), 12,961 yards (5th), 76 TDs (5th), 36 INTs (7th-most), 12 game-winning drives (4th)

Whether the Seahawks need to get a QB upgrade or not (one thing everyone can agree on is that Seattle should figure out what happens after Geno), he was an incredible value/bargain/aide to the team in 2022 after Wilson’s departure. To get 30 TDs from a QB making $5ish million is how decent teams become good teams, and good teams become great teams.

The biggest issue the Seahawks face at the quarterback position today is the $44 million cap hit that Geno brings with him if nothing is done about his contract. Which the Seahawks could still survive if they follow Seaside Joe’s financially responsible offseason plan.

Going back to the issue of Seattle’s aversion to QB investments, it’s fitting that 49 years after Zorn, the Seahawks are still perfectly content (for better and worse) with a player who basically the entire league passed on a few years ago as a free agent. For that reason, Geno being back in 2025 wouldn’t be surprising.

QB Drew Lock, 2023 (1-1)

Acquired via: Including in Russell Wilson trade by Broncos

Starts with Seattle: 2

Key franchise ranks: Most times in franchise history that fans have said “Oh you think (insert backup name) is gonna do any better?!”

If Lock ends up having a career like Geno, it’ll surprise everyone. It’s not that he was on bad teams, he just hasn’t been a good quarterback in the league and that’s true across different teams and opportunities. Case in point, Lock had a fantastic start against the Colts last season, then had one of the worst the next week against the Eagles. (I guess we can chalk some of that up to playing the Eagles.)

The silver lining to his career (if you’re Drew Lock) is that he could have a long career as a backup.

Sam Howell hasn’t made a start for the Seahawks, but in his one appearance last season he went 5-of-14 for 24 yards and an interception. On one hand, that’s bad. On the other hand, the Moons started Howell for a year and now they have Jayden Daniels. If the Seahawks keep going on the track they’re going for another 49 years, will they ever end up with a QB like Daniels?

I’ll let you know when we hit Seaside Joe’s 20,000th straight day of sending a newsletter.

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