Until Jimmy Graham was acquired in 2015, the Seattle Seahawks have never had a marquee name at tight end…. so who are the 5 best all-time Seahawks tight ends? These are.
The tight end position has never truly been a featured part of the Seahawks offense, regardless of which head coach was running the ship. It took on a bigger role in the west coast offense Mike Holmgren imported in 1999, but never resulted in any TE stars being born. At times, the position served as more of a 6th offensive lineman, rather than an integral part of the passing game.
But in looking at all the players who have suited up at the tight end in the 40 years since the birth of the Seahawks, there are clearly 5 who stand above all the rest:
#5 Jerramy Stevens
In terms of pure talent, Stevens might be #1. Frankly, the reason he’s not is because he never fully realized his raw talent.
Stevens was a physical freak, in much the same way that current “TE” Jimmy Graham is. He was 6’7″ and 260 pounds and looked, moved and ran like a basketball player.
But there were two things that held Stevens back from perennial stardom.
Bad hands and bad character.
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Stevens was known for his drops as much as his 130 catches and 15 TD’s, and will forever be remembered for the bad week he had when the Hawks played in Super Bowl XL. First he talked a lot of trash leading up to the game, drawing the ire of the eventual champion Pittsburgh Steelers, and then dropped a couple passes in the game including one that would have put the team inside the 5 yard line.
Unfortunately, another outstanding catch that would have resulted in first and goal for Seattle in the 2nd half was erased by a questionable holding call on right tackle Sean Locklear.
Stevens, infamous now for his tabloid-headline-grabbing marriage to soccer legend Hope Solo, was released in 2007 after legal troubles, and out of football in 2010 after another arrest for possession of marijuana.
Next: Another Holmgren project
#4 John Carlson
Like Stevens, Carlson was brought in by Holmgren in an attempt to add another dynamic pass catcher to the offensive attack. Carlson was an outstanding two-way player; a smooth receiver who was also a very capable blocker. His career highlight may be the two TD passes he caught in the playoff game against New Orleans in 2010, but even that was overshadowed by Marshawn Lynch’s “Beastquake” run to seal the game late.
In 2012, Seattle allowed Carlson to walk away as a free agent, as they were concerned about multiple concussions he had sustained. He signed a 5 year, $25 million dollar deal with Minnesota. He was released after 2 seasons with the Vikings, and retired last year as a member of the Arizona Cardinals.
Next: Our #3 is actually #1
#3 Christian Fauria
Fauria actually sits at #1 atop the list of all-time reception leaders for Seahawk tight ends, but finishes in this spot for a couple reasons.
As consistent and productive as he was, he mostly played on bad teams during his time in Seattle, and then went on to finish out his career with three other teams, playing 6 more seasons. He actually caught more TD passes as a New England Patriot than as a Seahawk, 13 to 7.
Next: Blue collar workhorse
#2 Zach Miller
After 4 outstanding seasons in Oakland where he was a featured part of the passing game, Miller was surprisingly not re-signed by the Raiders. The Seahawks swooped in late in the free agency period and gave Miller a 5 year, $34 million dollar contract.
Miller never matched the offensive output he produced in Oakland, catching only 102 passes in 4 years as a Seahawk compared to 226 with the Raiders, but finishes as the 2nd best TE in team history because of the unselfish way he went about his business, and the important role he played as a blocker.
Instead of complaining in the media, or asking for a trade to a team where he would be a bigger part of the offense, Miller brought his lunch pail to work every day and helped out where the team needed it most, in protecting the passer. Often forced to stay in as an extra lineman, Miller may have even been the team’s best blocker at times.
An indictment of the offensive line play, to be sure, but also much to his credit.
Miller’s career highlight was a huge performance in Seattle’s loss to Atlanta in the divisional round of the NFC playoffs in 2012. He caught 8 passes for 142 yards and a score, coming up with 1st downs time and again as the Falcons loaded the box to try and stop the running game led by Marshawn Lynch.
Sadly, he would battle injuries much of the next two seasons, and was released in 2014 after failing a physical. He hasn’t played since, but his role in the Pete Carroll rebuild, and ultimately in the Seahawks first Super Bowl-winning team will always be remembered, more than his limited production as a pass catcher.
#1 Itula Mili
Mili may go down as one of the best value picks the Seahawks ever nabbed in the draft. A prolific, All-American tight end at BYU, Mili slipped to the 6th round after suffering a major knee injury his senior year. He then went on to play 10 years in Seattle. He’s the 2nd all-time leading TE in team history in receptions with 164, just two behind Fauria.
Mili grabs the top spot because he played his entire career in Seattle, and was a gifted receiver. While he may not have been much of a blocker, he wasn’t asked to do much of that.
His best season came in 2003, when he caught 46 passes for 492 yards and 4 TD’s. He also did some of his best work in the playoffs, with 18 catches for 160 yards in three post-season games.
In Mili’s final season with the Seahawks, he suffered a severe concussion in a week #11 MNF game against Green Bay and missed the rest of the season. He was released by the team after that season and chose to retire after contemplating the risk of further injury.
“Taking a shot like that really, really put things in perspective,” Mili said at the time. “I love the game to death, but something like this makes you stop and think.”
Next: Top 5 Seahawk RB's of all time
We didn’t have to think too long and hard about making Mili #1 on our list of 5 best all-time Seahawks tight ends.