5 greatest one hit wonders in Seattle Seahawks history
By Lee Vowell
Here's the good thing about most of Seattle Seahawks' history: The players who have been successful have stuck around for a while. Seattle has mostly built successful teams through the draft, especially since 2010, and those players are good for several years instead of one year and done. I guess that's the good thing about general manager John Schneider and head coach Pete Carroll not overspending for free agents; Those players don't move on soon after being signed.
Still, the Seahawks have had their share of one-hit wonders. Marshawn Lynch wasn't that, of course, but he made himself into one for just the end of 2019. How special was it to have him back when nearly every other Seattle running back had been hurt.
One of the players that follows actually caused Lynch to move on from the Seahawks in the first place. Another is a Hall of Fame quarterback. And two are named Derrick. Here are five one-season heroes in Seahawks history.
Seahawks wide receiver Derrick Mayes (1999)
12s likely remember Derrick Mayes, but the rest of the world? Probably not too much.
(Well, maybe Packers' fans.) Mayes was actually a second-round pick in 1996 out of Notre Dame by Green Bay. To say he was a bust for the Packers would be putting it mildly as he had only 730 yards receiving over three years and started just 9 games. He had 5 touchdown catches for the Packers as well, but 3 came in one game in 1998.
Green Bay traded Mayes to the Seahawks before the 1999 season in return for a seventh-round pick. But for one season, at least, Mayes was really good for Seattle. During the 1999 season, Mayes was targeted 103 times, caught 62 of those targets for 829 yards and 10 touchdowns. The 10 touchdowns were eighth in the NFL in 1999. Mayes led the Seahawks in receptions and touchdown catches, finished second on the team in targets, and in receiving yards.
Mayes would not be able to come close to those numbers in 2000, however, as he finished with just 29 catches for 264 yards and 1 touchdown. He was released by the team and never played in the NFL again. In 1999, Mayes had more touchdown receptions than the rest of his career combined. His 829 yards receiving were more than he had in the combined years he played for Green Bay.