The Seattle Seahawks have inducted 15 former members of the organization into the team's Ring of Honor. The group includes two head coaches, one owner, one announcer, and 11 players. But while Seattle has never been atrocious for a long period of time, perhaps the best era in franchise history has been since general manager John Schneider and head coach Pete Carroll joined the franchise in 2010.
This likely means that the number of Ring of Honor inductees is about to grow quite a bit. And the number in the Ring has grown more quickly of late anyway. There was no inductee between defensive tackle Cortez Kennedy in 2006 and left tackle Walter Jones in 2014. And after Jones, the next inductee was owner Paul Allen in 2019. In the last two seasons, however, there have been three more inductees (quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, coach Mike Holmgren, and running back Shaun Alexander).
Since 2010, the Seahawks have been to two Super Bowls, including the team's only win which happened in the 2013 season. Seattle has only missed the playoffs three times in the Schneider and Carroll era. I don't have Schneider and Carroll on this list because they are still with the team and, unless they choose to leave for some reason, will remain a part of the franchise for the foreseeable future.
These four should be the next Seahawks inducted into the Ring of Honor
That said, Carroll and Schneider should be in the Ring of Honor one day. If Schneider does get in, he will be the first non-owner, non-coach, non-player to make it. Still, he deserves the honor.
Carroll is a no-brainer. He is the most successful coach in franchise history and its not close. He also still has a chance to lead the Seahawks to another Super Bowl which would be the third time he led the team to the game.
So which four Seahawks should be the next to be inducted into the Ring of Honor? Honorable mentions would be Michael Bennett, Earl Thomas, and Russell Wilson, but Wilson is still playing and Thomas left under terrible conditions. Here are the next four that should make it, however.
Up next for Seahawks Ring of Honor No. 1: Richard Sherman
While Earl Thomas was last seen wearing a Seahawks uniform being carted off the field in Week 4 of the 2018 season and flipping off the Seattle sideline, Sherman's leaving was filled with more of simple trash talk after Sherman signed with the San Francisco 49ers. But that was just Sherman being Sherman and except for one off-field incident in 2020, Sherman hasn't ever been seen as a "bad guy."
Moreover, Sherman has been more involved in Seahawks' training camp recently. Last year he appeared to help cornerback Tariq Woolen get acclimated to the NFL. And Sherman wasn't get paid to do it. He helped Woolen (like Sherman, a fifth-round draft pick) because he simply wanted to. That speaks volumes about the person Sherman is, rather than just the player.
But Sherman the player was special. He played seven of his 11 NFL seasons with Seattle and finished his time in Seattle with 32 interceptions, 99 passes defended, and was a three-time first-team All-Pro. Sherman is tied for fourth on the Seahawks' all-time interception list and is second among cornerbacks.
Sherman was also an excellent tackler and one of the rarest of his breed. That is a cornerback who could cover extremely well but also be an imposing presence with his physicality and his ability to hit hard while tackling. Sherman may be the best CB in Seattle history.
Up next for Seahawks Ring of Honor No. 2: Doug Baldwin
It seems a bit odd, but Doug Baldwin and Sherman actually played in college together at Stanford. What is easy to believe, however, is that both players went to such a good school because both guys are intelligent on and off the field. Both players turned what many saw as limited physical ability compared to their peers in the NFL into great production through hard work, intelligence, and getting the most out of their ability.
Baldwin played all eight seasons of his career. By the end of those years, Baldwin was at the time third all-time on Seattle's career yards receiving (6,563), and second in touchdowns (49). Baldwin has been replaced by in both categories by Tyler Lockett, and Lockett will also take his place in the Ring of Honor.
But Lockett and Baldwin also share something more important than football success. Both guys do good work to assist others and try to do what they can to better the human race. Baldwin was given the Paul G. Allen Humanitarian Award in February of 2023. The award goes to top pro athletes making strides in their community.
Still, Baldwin should be in the Ring of Honor for the combination of on-field and off-field contributions. He is clearly one of the best receivers in franchise history. He also is one of the better people you might ever run into.
Up next for Seahawks Ring of Honor No. 3: Kam Chancellor
In a perfect world, all three of the most important members of the Legion of Boom - Thomas, Sherman, and Chancellor - would be inducted together, but Thomas may have simply left under such bad terms and had several recent off-field issues that he never gets inducted. Pairing Sherman and Chancellor for their induction would be nice as well, but it's probably best to let them each have their individual moment of honor as they deserve that.
Chancellor is the player that put the boom in the LOB. Opposing receivers feared him. But his fellow teammates respected him and he was an important leader in the locker room. Chancellor transformed the defense, however, with his versatility. He could cover decently well (he had 4 interceptions alone in 2011), but he could attack the line of scrimmage like few safeties can.
Chancellor was a four-time Pro Bowler and a two-time second-team All-Pro. Three times he had 97 tackles or more in a season. He also made plays just when they needed to be made with otherworldly frequency. In 2015, Seattle could have started the season 1-5 except for a game-saving forced fumble by Chancellor of receiver Calvin Johnson in Week 4. Seattle went on to make the playoffs that season.
And who can forget the hit Chancellor put on Broncos receiver Demaryius Thomas early in Super Bowl XLVIII? The hit reminded the high-scoring Denver offense that they weren't up against just any NFL defense; They were playing one of the best and more ferocious defenses ever. And Chancellor was a leader of the unit.
Up next for Seahawks Ring of Honor No. 4: Bobby Wagner
OK, cheating a bit with this one. While Pete Carroll and John Schneider are also currently working for the Seattle Seahawks, it likely will take a coach and a general manager longer to get inducted into the Ring of Honor than a player. I would also love it if K.J. Wright, Bobby Wagner's linebacker mate for so many years, would make it into the Ring as well, but Wagner needs to get there first.
Heck, I wouldn't even complain if Wagner got in the year after he retired. He is currently signed to a one-year deal, but he is still playing at a high level. It could be Wagner plays so well in 2023 that Seattle brings him back in 2024 too. But let's see how this season plays out first.
Wagner isn't just arguably the best linebacker to ever play for the team, he could be the best overall player. He is a six-time first-team All-Pro and a three-time second-team All-Pro. Wagner has only played 11 seasons in the NFL so in nine of those years he was a first- or second-team All-Pro. Wagner had led the league in tackles twice and in solo tackles once.
Wagner is the all-time Seattle leader in combined tackles. He is also 16th in sacks which seems odd as one doesn't think of Wagner blitzing quarterbacks that much. But that just proves more his greatness. He does so many things well some of his production can be overlooked. But whatever year Wagner leaves Seattle (hopefully retiring a Seahawk and not going to another team again), the season after he needs to be inducted into the Ring of Honor.