Seahawks icon Kenny Easley passed away on Friday, per an announcement from the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was 66 years old.
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Seahawks legend Kenny Easley,” a team statement reads in part. “Kenny embodied what it meant to be a Seahawk through his leadership, toughness, intensity, and fearlessness. His intimidating nature and athletic grace made him one of the best players of all-time.”
Easley joined the Seahawks as a first-round pick in 1981 and spent his entire career with the team. Within that span, he racked up numerous accolades including five Pro Bowl nods. Easley also secured first-team All-Pro honors every year from 1983-85.
The UCLA product won the Defensive Player of the Year award in 1984. Easley was named to the NFL’s All-Decade team for the 1980s. After a career which included 95 combined regular and postseason games, he was included in the Hall of Fame class of 2017.
Nicknamed ‘the Enforcer,’ Easley developed a reputation over the course of his decorated career for his physicality. He also delivered consistent performances in terms of ball production, however. Easley racked up 32 interceptions, leading the league with 10 during the 1984 campaign (and returning two for touchdowns). He also recorded nine forced fumbles and was limited to single digits in terms of games played only once in a season.
A kidney ailment resulted in Easley’s career ending at the age of 28. He sued the team over allegations that large doses of ibuprofen resulted in the damage to his kidneys and that the team failed to inform him of the issue during his final season. A settlement out of court was ultimately reached. The sides reconciled in 2002, and in that year Easley was inducted into the Seahawks’ Ring of Honor.
