When Did The Seattle Seahawks Enter The NFL?

The Seattle Seahawks entered the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team.

The Seahawks Join the NFL

The Seattle Seahawks joined the National Football League (NFL) in 1976 as an expansion team. The Seahawks are currently members of the league’s National Football Conference (NFC) West division. The Seahawks have won one Super Bowl title (XLVIII), three conference championships (2005, 2013, 2014), and seven division championships (1988, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018).

The Seahawks Begin Play

The Seattle Seahawks began play in the National Football League (NFL) in 1976 as an expansion team. The Seahawks are currently members of the league’s National Football Conference (NFC) West division. Since 2002, the Seahawks have played their home games at CenturyLink Field (formerly Qwest Field) in Seattle. The Seahawks are owned by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and are currently coached by Pete Carroll.

The Seahawks had made the playoffs seven times and won their first ever Super Bowl title in 2013. They have also appeared in two other Super Bowls, losing both times. As of the end of the 2017 season, they have an all-time regular season record of 243–183–1 (.569), and a playoff record of 15–11 (.577).

The Seahawks’ First Season

The Seahawks’ first season was in 1976. They played their home games at the Kingdome, and their first game was a preseason game against the San Francisco 49ers on August 1, 1976. The Seahawks finished their inaugural season with a record of 2-12.

The Seahawks’ First Decade

The Seattle Seahawks joined the National Football League (NFL) in 1976 as an expansion team, along with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Seahawks had a rocky start in their first decade, compiling a record of just 67-95. However, they did make the playoffs in 1983, 1984, and 1987. In 1988, the Seahawks finally had their first winning season, finishing with a record of 9-7. They would not have another winning season until 2003.

The Seahawks’ Second Season

In their second season, the Seahawks had a significant turnaround. They went from having a losing record to posting a winning record. This was due in part to the additions of wide receiver Steve Largent and running back Curt Warner. Largent would go on to become one of the greatest receivers in NFL history, while Warner would lead the team in rushing for three straight seasons (1981-1983). The Seahawks also had a new head coach in Chuck Knox, who would lead the team for the next nine seasons.

The Seahawks in the 1980s

The Seahawks joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team, and their first decade was dominated by struggled on the field and power struggles off of it. In their first season, they won just two games and lost fourteen. Head coach Jack Patera was fired after just two seasons, and the team cycled through five head coaches in their first ten years. They had a brief moment of success in the late 1970s when they made the playoffs in 1978 and 1979, but they otherwise languished near the bottom of the standings.

The 1980s were a decade of change for the Seahawks. They finally found some stability at head coach with Chuck Knox, who led them to nine winning seasons in ten years. They also made the playoffs six times in the 1980s, including a trip to the AFC Championship game in 1983. However, they never quite managed to take that next step and win a Super Bowl. Knox was fired after the 1991 season, and the Seahawks once again embarked on a period of instability with three different head coaches over the next three years.

The Seahawks in the 1990s

The Seahawks franchise was established in 1974 by the Roundtable, an ownership group led by John Thompson with the intent of gaining an NFL expansion franchise. In 1975, the NFL awarded the franchise to the group. The Seahawks began play in the 1976 season, becoming the 28th team in the NFL. They played their home games at the Kingdome, which they shared with the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball (MLB).

The Seahawks in the 1990s

The Seahawks in the 1990s were led by head coach Mike Holmgren and featured players like Pro Bowlers Steve Largent, Cortez Kennedy, and Warren Moon. The Seahawks made the playoffs six times in the 1990s, including five straight appearances from 1993 to 1997. They also won their first division title in 1988 and reached the AFC Championship game in 1983.

The Seahawks in the Super Bowl Era

The Seahawks in the Super Bowl Era

In the 1990s, the Seahawks made it to the playoffs six times, qualified for four NFC Championship Games, and appeared in back-to-back Super Bowls. The Seahawks lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XL.

The Seahawks in the New Millennium

The Seattle Seahawks entered the NFL in the 1974 season. They were placed in the NFC West division. In their first season they finished 2-12. The Seahawks had their first winning season in 1978, when they finished 9-7.

The Seahawks in the New Millennium

In 2000, the Seahawks hired Mike Holmgren as their new head coach. That year, the Seahawks also drafted Shaun Alexander, who would go on to be one of the best running backs in franchise history. In his first season with the Seahawks, Holmgren led the team to a 6-10 record. The following year, the Seahawks improved to 9-7. In 2002, the Seahawks made the playoffs for the first time since 1988. They lost in the Wild Card round to the Green Bay Packers.

The Seahawks Since 2010

In 2010, the Seahawks hired Seattle native Pete Carroll as their new head coach. Carrollolitics, and one USB device, o a modify football strategy that would come to be known as the “Legion of Boom.”

The Legion of Boom was a play on the nickname of the Seattle defense in the 1990s, the “Orange Crush.” The new Legion was defined by its physical and aggressive style of play. Led by All-Pro safety Earl Thomas and cornerback Richard Sherman, the Legion dominated opponents with their hard-hitting play.

The Seahawks’ success under Carroll culminated in a victory in Super Bowl XLVIII in 2014. The Seahawks defeated the Denver Broncos 43-8, winning their first ever Super Bowl title. The Seahawks were the first team since the New England Patriots in 2005 to score over 40 points in a Super Bowl.