12th Man Rising
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Seattle Seahawks: 30 greatest players in franchise history

By Gil Alcaraz IV

FOXBORO, MA - NOVEMBER 13: Russell Wilson #3 of the Seattle Seahawks looks to throw the ball during the first quarter of a game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on November 13, 2016 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
FOXBORO, MA - NOVEMBER 13: Russell Wilson #3 of the Seattle Seahawks looks to throw the ball during the first quarter of a game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on November 13, 2016 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images) /
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Cortez Kennedy, Seattle Seahawks
Stephen Dunn /Allsport /

. DT. (1990-00). Cortez Kennedy. 3. player. 36

There are so many reasons Cortez Kennedy belongs at No. 3 on this list. The first is that the two guys ahead of him are that good. The other is this fact: in 1992, he won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award on a 2-14 Seahawks team.

Seriously, that’s mind-boggling. How does a defensive tackle convince the rest of the NFL that he’s the best defender in the league despite his club putting together an overall woeful effort? I mean, Kennedy played an integral role on a still-solid Seattle defense while racking up 92 total tackles and 14 sacks — as a defensive tackle.

Yes, Kennedy was that good. Before his playing days were over, he had earned eight Pro Bowl appearances (six in a row), five All-Pro selections and a permanent place in the hearts of Seahawks fans everywhere. It all culminated in his jersey number being retired and his enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2012.

Kennedy was a rare breed of player, possessing a combination of size, athleticism and strength that just isn’t natural. And yet, he took the tools given to him and used them to provide the Seahawks with 11 awesome seasons of pure destruction.

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