Kenny Easley

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Kenny Easley
Position (s):
Strong Safety
Jersey number (s):
45
born January 15, 1959 in Chesapeake , Virginia
Career information
Active : 1981 - 1987
NFL Draft : 1981 / Round: 1 / Pick: 4th
College : UCLA
Teams
Career statistics
Interceptions     32
yards achieved thereby     538
Touchdowns     3
Stats at NFL.com
Stats at pro-football-reference.com
Career highlights and awards
Pro Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame

Kenneth Mason "Kenny" Easley Jr. (* 15. January 1959 in Chesapeake , Virginia ) is a former American American football player at the position of the Strong Safeties . He played college football for the UCLA Bruins , the University of California, Los Angeles . In 1981 he was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the first round of the NFL Draft , where he played his entire NFL career from 1981 to 1987.

Career

From 1977 to 1980 Easley played college football at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) for the UCLA Bruins . He was the first player in the Pacific-12 Conference (at that time still PAC (1977) 8 and PAC 10 (1978-1980)) elected to the All-Conference player for four consecutive years. He ended his career there with the school record-setting 19 interceptions and 324 tackles .

Easley was selected in the 1981 NFL Draft in the first round as the fourth player overall by the Seattle Seahawks . In the 1981 NBA Draft , he was selected in the tenth round by the Chicago Bulls , but he decided for the NFL. Here he changed the position from Free Safety to Strong Safety . In his rookie season, Easley was able to convince with 107 tackles and three interceptions, one of which was carried back over 82 yards for a touchdown , and was voted AFC Defensive Rookie of the Year .

In 1982 Easley was first called to the Pro Bowl . In the following year he succeeded again, as in the following two years, but also with the award of First-team All-Pro . 1984 was Easley's best season. He was one of the few safeties in NFL history to achieve a double-digit number with ten interceptions . He helped the Seahawks break the NFL record for takeovers in one season at 63. He also ran as a punt returner, carrying back 16 punts for an average of 12.1 yards. He became the Defensive Player of the Year ( Defender of the Year ) of the American Football Conference (AFC) and the NFL Defensive Player of the Year chosen.

In the 1986 season, Easley missed six games due to injury. In the 1987 season , the NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement ran out, which animated the players' union to call for a strike. Easley was one of the strongest supporters of the strike in the Seahawks' squad. This also led to a break in relations with the five Seahawks strike breakers, including star player Steve Largent . Easley played every non-strike game that season, catching four interceptions. For the last time he was appointed to the Pro Bowl and was also elected to the second-team All-Pro .

In April 1988 Easley was exchanged for quarterback Kelly Stouffer for the Phoenix Cardinals , but could not pass the medical test there due to kidney disease and subsequently resigned from professional sport. In total, he scored 498 tackles , seven sacks and 33 interceptions in his career . He was later inducted into the NFL 1980s All-Decade team .

Easley sued the Seahawks shortly afterwards for believing that an overdose of pain medication during his NFL stint would be causing his kidney disease. Both parties later agreed on a settlement, but Easley broke off all relations with the Seahawks. The relationship only improved in 2002 when Seahawks owner Paul Allen insisted on accepting other players only after Easley was accepted into the Seattle Seahawks Ring of Honor . On October 14, 2002, he was inducted into the Seattle Seahawks Ring of Honor for his services with the Seahawks.

Easley was never considered a modern-era candidate by a Hall of Fame selection committee during the first 25 years that he was eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame . But as a senior candidate for the 2017 class, Easley received 80 percent approval from the selection committee. Easley became the fourth Hall of Fame member to spend his entire career with the Seahawks , alongside wide receiver Steve Largent , defensive lineman Cortez Kennedy and Tackle Walter Jones . On the fourth day of the 2017 season , the Seahawks blocked jersey number 45 in his honor .

style

Easley was considered an excellent tackler , which earned him the nickname "The Enforcer" ( the full plug ). At the same time he was considered a good cover player who could cover both small, agile and large, powerful receivers. Physically, he was able to convince primarily through his speed and athleticism. Easley's high football instinct was also valued. The later Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor (2010-2017), who received the same nickname, also praised his qualities as a "ballhawk" (defender who aggressively tries to intercep a ball). He praised his ability to bridge distances quickly, intercept the ball and then try to score ("I've seen him covering ground, go get the ball, and when he gets the ball he's trying to score."). Defensive lineman Manu Tuiasosopo , Easley's teammate at UCLA and the Seahawks, praised Easley's adjustments to defensive plays and willingness to help out when mistakes are made.

Individual evidence

  1. a b c d 12 Fun Facts About 12 Flag Raiser Kenny Easley. Accessed December 26, 2018 .
  2. Kenny Easley, Ronnie Lott claim 1981 Draft class as best ever. Accessed December 26, 2018 .
  3. a b c d e Kenny Easley defined strong safety with a relentless pursuit of greatness. Accessed December 26, 2018 .
  4. ^ A b c Kenny Easley, the Enforcer part II: Seven seasons with the Seahawks. Accessed December 26, 2018 .
  5. a b Kenny Easley's feud with Seahawks ended with Ring of Honor induction. Retrieved July 15, 2017 .
  6. a b How the 1987 NFL strike divided Seahawks icons Kenny Easley and Steve Largent. Accessed December 26, 2018 .
  7. 1988: A 'first kiss' of a season. Seattle Seahawks, July 13, 2011, accessed April 23, 2019 .
  8. a b 2016 MEDIA GUIDE . National Football League, 2016, p. 382 (English, online [PDF; accessed on July 16, 2017]).
  9. Jersey Retirement “Really Special” For Seahawks Legend Kenny Easley. Retrieved April 23, 2019 .
  10. UCLA legend Kenny Easley finally in Hall of Fame. Accessed December 26, 2018 .