SeaTown Sports Top 100 (#40-#31)
Brian and Kevin count down the top 100 professional Seattle sports athletes of all time.
In celebration of surpassing 100 subscribers, SeaTown Sports is counting down the top 100 professional Seattle sports athletes of all-time. This list will not include individual athletes like Apolo Ohno or Michael Chang and it does not include any college stars who did not play in Seattle professionally (think Steve Emtman or Kelsey Plum). Also, you won’t see any Seattle Kraken athletes on the list. We just haven’t seen any individual performers at a high enough level in the past three seasons in the deep. Kevin and Brian hope this list provides an opportunity for fun discussion as our readers keep engaging with us moving forward.
#40 - Raul Ruidiaz, Sounders
Key Accomplishments: 2x MLS Best 11, led Sounders in scoring five times, all-time leading scorer in Sounders history, MLS Cup champion (2019), CONCACAF Champions League Best XI (2022).
While die-hard Sounders fans will have a hard time seeing Raul Ruidiaz’s name above Ozzie Alonso or Nico Lodeiro, the facts provide quite a case for Raul. Ruidiaz and Chad Marshall are the only Sounders named to the MLS Best XI twice. Earning this achievement as a striker is arguably harder than any other position as the league is full of talented goal scorers. The man simply knows how to put the ball in the net. He holds the distinction of being the fastest in MLS history to 10 goals (in just 14 matches) and scoring in the most consecutive appearances (8). Ruidiaz scored double digit goals in his first five seasons with the Sounders and is the club’s all-time leading scorer. He also has a tendency to score in the biggest matches. In 2019, Ruidiaz scored four goals and recorded four assists in the postseason, helping the Sounders win the MLS Cup. Additionally, in 2022, Ruidiaz scored two goals in the clinching second leg to with the CONCACAF Champions League.
#39 - Dennis Johnson, Sonics
Key Accomplishments: NBA Finals MVP, 2x All-Star, 2x 1st team all-defense, 2nd team All-NBA, ranks 20th in points, 15th in assists and 15th in steals in Sonics history.
Dennis “DJ” Johnson is probably best known for his days with the Boston Celtics including the famous “Bird stole the ball” moment in the 1987 playoffs. DJ was the player who received the pass from Larry Bird after the steal and hit the winning lay up. However, Johnson was a key component of the city’s first dominant team in the late 1970s. DJ earned two All-Star appearances in Seattle as he averaged 15.9 points and 19 points respectively. In those two seasons, Johnson also was named to the NBA All-Defense first team and wrecked havoc on opposing point guards. While DJ’s regular season accomplishments were impressive in just four short years in Seattle, his postseason stats push him to #39 on our list. When Seattle needed him most, Johnson shined in leading the Sonics to the NBA title. DJ averaged 22 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists per game in the 1979 NBA Finals while playing nearly 45 minutes per game. An absolutely dominant performance from Johnson.
#38 - Matt Hasselbeck, Seahawks
Key Accomplishments: 3x Pro Bowl, ranks 2nd in passing yards, 3rd in passing touchdowns, and 2nd in completions in Seahawks history.
Before Russell Wilson came to Seattle, Matt Hasselbeck was the best signal caller that the Pacific Northwest had ever seen. With apologies to Dave Krieg and Jim Zorn, Hasselbeck was just better. It took Matty a little while, but in 2003 he found his stride and made his first Pro Bowl. Hasselbeck peaked with the 2005 Super Bowl appearance as he dominated the NFC Championship game going 20 for 28 for 219 yards and 2 TDs. However, I won’t remember Hasselbeck for these moments. Neither will most NFL fans.
Hasselbeck’s declaration gone wrong is what made him great. He wasn’t as talented as Russell Wilson or maybe even Krieg, but he believed in himself. It is what made him a good player. But this video’s comments on YouTube are also quite good.
#37 - Steve Hutchinson, Seahawks
Key Accomplishments: 2x First Team All-Pro, 1x 2nd Team All-Pro, 5x Pro Bowl.
One of the hardest parts of compiling this list of the top 100 Seattle pro athletes is weighing longevity in Seattle versus dominance in a short time. This section of ten athletes really hits those with fantastic brief stints in the city. From DJ to Curt Warner to A-Rod, the athletes popped on the scene with brilliance but were gone before we could even appreciate their value. Steve Hutchinson might be the best of all the short timers. In just his third year in the NFL, Hutch was named first team All-Pro. He followed that up with a second team All-Pro and another first team recognition before leaving for Minnesota. Sadly for Seahawk fans, this was the era of the “transition tag” for NFL players. The Vikings front office used a “poison pill” to offer Hutchinson a huge deal with the stipulation that he had to be the highest paid offensive lineman on the team. The Seahawks simply couldn’t match the deal because they had just signed future Hall of Famer Walter Jones to a massive contract. The transition tag did not last much longer in the NFL, but long enough for the Seahawks to sign Nate Burleson away from Minnesota in a hilarious revenge contract. Burleson’s poison pill included a stipulation that his contract became fully guaranteed if he played more than five games in the state of Minnesota. Needless to say, Hawk fans would have rather had Hutchinson as he made first team All-Pro three more times after leaving Seattle.
#36 - Curt Warner, Seahawks
Key Accomplishments: Seahawks Ring of Honor, 3x Pro Bowl, 2x 2nd team All-Pro, ranks 3rd in rushing yards, 3rd in rushing touchdowns and 4th in rushing yards per game in Seahawks history.
Do you think Curt Warner ever wished that Kurt Warner just stayed working at the Hy-Vee grocery store? Whenever NFL fans think of the name “Curt Warner”, they really think of “Kurt Warner”. More people should know the Seattle version. This guy was elusive and dominant over the course of seven seasons in Seattle. His 1481 rushing yards in 1986 were third in the NFL behind Joe Morris and Eric Dickerson. But Warner’s 4.6 yards per carry were actually better than the great Eric Dickerson. Warner earned two second team All-Pro honors while playing for the Seahawks, only because Dickerson existed at the same time. With four seasons over 1000 rushing yards, Warner is in rare company in Seattle history. Only Shaun Alexander has more seasons over 1000 yards in his career.
#35 - Fred Brown, Sonics
Key Accomplishments: 1x All-Star, NBA champ in 1979, #32 retired by Sonics, ranks 2nd all time in points, 10th in rebounds, 3rd in assists and 6th in steals in Sonics history.
Not everyone on this list of ten players is here for short periods of greatness. “Downtown” Freddy Brown played 963 games in a Sonics uniform, second all-time to Gary Payton. Over the course of 13 seasons in Seattle, Brown scored over 14,000 points. Brown’s career scoring average was 14.6 points per game and he was a key reserve on the 1979 championship team. If you ask a Seattle sports fan over the age of 55 to name a Seattle superstar growing up, they would tell you “Downtown” Freddy Brown. He was electric at his best including back-to-back seasons in the early 70s where he averaged over 20 points per contest. Brown also holds Sonics records for most points in a game (58), points in playoff game (45), and steals in game (10). When the NBA introduced the three point line, Brown said “thank you” and led the league in 3 point percentage at 44.3%.
#34 - Dave Brown, Seahawks
Key Accomplishments: Seahawks Ring of Honor, 1x Pro Bowl, 1x AP 2nd team, ranks 1st in interceptions (50), interception return yards, and interceptions for touchdowns in Seahawks history.
Born in the same hometown as LeBron James, Dave Brown was always good at football. A stud returner and defensive back at the University of Michigan, Brown was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2007. While Brown was a first round talent, the Seahawks actually acquired him via the expansion draft in 1976. When Brown lined up at right cornerback in that first year in Seattle, he never looked back, starting 159 games for the Hawks. All at right corner.
Dave Brown just had a nose for the football, intercepting four or more passes in nine different seasons. He remains the Seahawks franchise leader in interceptions with 50, interception return yards and interceptions returned for touchdowns. But maybe my favorite stat involving Dave Brown came on November 4, 1984. On that date, the Seattle Seahawks returned FOUR interceptions for touchdowns, including two from Brown. For that effort and others, he was named the Tums All-Time Neutralizer. Yep.
#33 - Alex Rodriguez, Mariners
Key Accomplishments: 4x All-Star, 4x Silver Slugger, ranks 4th all-time in WAR, 3rd in average, 1st in slugging, 1st in OPS, 6th in runs, 10th in hits, 5th in HR, 8th in RBI, and 5th in steals in M’s history.
Are you really ready for this? There are going to be some people in their feelings about this one. But here is the deal: Alex Rodriguez was simply ridiculous in Seattle. Once he became a full-time player at the age of 20 (!) in 1996, here are the seasons he put up as a Mariner:
1996 - .358, 36 HR, 124 RBI, 15 SB
1997 - .300, 23 HR, 84 RBI, 29 SB
1998 - .310, 42 HR, 124 RBI, 46 SB
1999 - .285, 42 HR, 111 RBI, 21 SB
2000 - .316, 41 HR, 132 RBI, 15 SB
Rodriguez left for the money in Texas and we all got pissed. In the late 90s and early 2000s, no one hated owners of sports franchises unless they tried to move the team. We got mad at players for being greedy. Over the last 24 years, something changed and now we are mad at owners for prioritizing profit over spending on the franchise. A-Rod was simply in Seattle at the wrong time and the Mariners should have backed up the truck for him. He was special, continued to be special, and might have delivered the M’s a World Series in the 2001-2003 range.
#32 - Kasey Keller, Sounders
Key Accomplishments: 2011 Best XI, 2011 Goalkeeper of the Year, 3rd all-time in MLS goals against average (1.06).
Kasey Keller was a local favorite long before he played in Seattle. With an extensive and illustrious career abroad including starring in the Premier League, Keller was a true soccer star before the Sounders were awarded an expansion team. Once Keller did come back home, he shined right away for the expansion club. Keller began his MLS career with 457 consecutive minutes without conceding a goal and ended the 2009 season with 10 shutouts, tied for 2nd in the league. Keller followed up his outstanding 2009 season with another 11 shutout season in 2010 and nine shutouts in 2011 before retiring. Keller’s last season was his best as he made the MLS Best XI and was named Goalkeeper of the Year. While he only competed for three seasons, Keller is a Seattle icon and Sounder legend.
#31 - Jewell Loyd, Storm
Key Accomplishments: 6x All-Star, 1x 1st team All-WNBA, 2x 2nd team All-WNBA, Rookie of the Year, ranks 3rd in scoring, 3rd in assists, 4th in steals and 1st in free throw percentage in Storm history.
Jewell Loyd is hard to measure when it comes to Seattle all-time greats. Overshadowed by Breanna Stewart and Sue Bird for years, Loyd steadily grew her game and collected accolades along the way. After being named WNBA Rookie of the Year, Loyd rose the ranks of the WNBA elite as she earned six All-Star berths and three all-league honors (one on first team). In doing this, Loyd also was the third star on two WNBA championship teams. Despite still only in her 10th year, Loyd ranks in the top five in nearly every Storm offensive category and is averaging 20.4 points per game this season.
Huh. As someone with no ties to the area, I actually thought you were going to justify ARod's low ranking, not the other way around.
I'm surprised Dave Brown only made 1 Pro Bowl, given 62 career interceptions. Football is so quarterback-centered that when you type in his name on Google, you get directed to the failed Giants' quarterback of the same name. Sad that Brown died at just 52 in 2006. Heart attack, apparently.
It's so funny that the Hasselbeck coin flip quote is what we remember him by, but it is so true.