Kenny Easley

Last updated

Kenny Easley
1987 Seahawks Police - 02 Kenny Easley (crop).jpg
Easley in 1986
No. 45
Position: Safety
Personal information
Born: (1959-01-15) January 15, 1959 (age 65)
Chesapeake, Virginia, U.S.
Height:6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:206 lb (93 kg)
Career information
High school: Oscar F. Smith
(South Norfolk, Virginia)
College: UCLA (1977–1980)
NFL draft: 1981  / Round: 1 / Pick: 4
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Interceptions:32
Interception yards:538
Fumble recoveries:11
Sacks:8
Defensive touchdowns:3
Player stats at NFL.com  ·  PFR

Kenneth Mason Easley Jr. (born January 15, 1959) [1] is an American former football safety who played in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons from 1981 to 1987. He played college football for the UCLA Bruins and was a three-time consensus All-American. He was selected in the first round of the 1981 NFL draft, by the Seattle Seahawks, where he played his entire career. Nicknamed "the Enforcer", [2] Easley has been considered to be among the best defensive backs during his era and one of the Seahawks' all-time greatest players. [3]

Contents

Easley was one of Seahawks defensive unit leaders [4] and one of the finest defensive players in the NFL during the 1980s. [5] In 1984, Easley was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year. He was a four-time All-Pro selection and was elected to the Pro Bowl five times in his career. Easley's career ended after the 1987 season, when he was diagnosed with severe kidney disease.

After retirement, Easley owned a Cadillac dealership and later, the Norfolk Nighthawks team from 1999 to 2003. He was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in 1998, and was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2017.

Early years

Born and raised in Chesapeake, Virginia, Easley graduated from its Oscar F. Smith High School in 1977. He was the first player in the history of Virginia high school football to rush and pass for over 1,000 yards in a single season, [6] and was named as an all-state and All-American selection at quarterback. [7] In 1996, Oscar F. Smith High School honored Easley and two other football graduates Ed Beard and Steve DeLong by naming its football stadium "Beard–DeLong–Easley Field" on September 6. [8]

College career

Allegedly recruited by 350 colleges, Easley selected University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and played for the Bruins football team. [9] He started ten games as a true freshman in 1977, recording nine interceptions and was named to his first all Pac-10 squad. [9] His 93 tackles established a school-record for tackles by a true freshman. [10] Later, he became the first player in conference history to be honored as all-conference for four consecutive years. [7] Playing from 1977 to 1980, Easley finished his college career with a school-record 19 interceptions and 324 tackles, along with 45 punt returns for 454 yards.

Easley was a three-time consensus All-American selection (1978, 1979, 1980) and finished ninth in the Heisman Trophy balloting in 1980. [7] His No. 5 jersey was retired by the Bruins, and in 1991 he was elected to the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame. He also played basketball at the junior varsity level for UCLA and was selected by the Chicago Bulls in the tenth round of the 1981 NBA draft but did not play. [6] [11]

Professional career

Easley was the fourth overall pick of the 1981 NFL draft, selected by the Seattle Seahawks. [12] He became an immediate starter as a rookie in 1981, recording three interceptions for 155 yards and one touchdown, earning him AFC Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. In 1983, the Seahawks hired former Buffalo Bills coach Chuck Knox as their head coach and Easley immediately became the "backbone" of Knox's defense. [13] In his first season playing for Knox, Easley won the AFC Defensive Player of the Year Award and recorded seven interceptions. In 1984, Easley led the NFL in interceptions with ten, which tied a club record. [14] He returned two of them for touchdowns and was named as the NFL Defensive Player of the Year, the first safety awarded since Dick Anderson in 1973. In 1984, during a 45–0 win over the Kansas City Chiefs in the Kingdome on November 4, the Seahawks returned four interceptions for touchdowns, including one caught by Easley, breaking the record for most touchdowns scored from an interception in a game. [15] [16] [17] He also took over the role of the team's main punt returner when Paul Johns got injured earlier in the season. [6]

After the season, Easley signed a five-year contract to stay with the Seahawks, averaging $650,000 a year plus incentives. [18] The contract made him one of the highest paid defensive players in the league. [18] In 1985, Easley was selected for his fourth consecutive Pro Bowl, a team record until defensive tackle Cortez Kennedy was selected for his fifth consecutive Pro Bowl in 1995. [14]

Easley was injured for most of the 1986 season; he hurt his knee against the San Diego Chargers on October 11, [19] and the next month, missed the remainder of the season due to ankle surgery. [20] In December, Easley was rumored to be in the trading block as the Seahawks were attempting to get the first overall pick in the 1987 NFL draft from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, in order to draft quarterback Vinny Testaverde. [21]

In 1987, Easley was the Seahawks player representative and a leading figure in the 1987 NFL strike. [22] Seeking a new collective bargaining agreement with free agency a major factor, the head of the National Football League Players Association Gene Upshaw managed to convince Easley and hundreds of his fellow NFL players to go on strike. As a response, the league decided to use replacement players to fill up their rosters, along with a few veterans who crossed the "picket line". [23] When former teammate Jim Zorn offered his services to the Seahawks, Easley said

He obviously is either desperate to play in the NFL or desperate for money. Here's a guy who played in the NFL for a long time and who was adored and was admired by his fans and teammates. Now, he turns his back on us. [22]

Easley also warned his fellow players that he was against the idea of using violence against the replacement players in order to prove a point. [22] Once the strike ended, Easley had an off-year as the Seahawks passing defense fell to 25th in the league. [24] His last game was a 23–20 overtime loss to the Houston Oilers in the wild card game of the 1987 NFL playoffs.

Trade and retirement

Prior to the 1988 season, the Seahawks offered Easley to several clubs in an attempt to get a quarterback in return. [25] Easley's declining play, which was partially blamed on his work during the strike and the blossoming of Easley's backup Paul Moyer, had made Easley expendable. [25] On April 22, 1988, the Seahawks traded Easley to the Phoenix Cardinals for quarterback Kelly Stouffer. [26] During the mandatory team physical, Easley was diagnosed with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome, a severe kidney disease that voided the trade. [27] [28] Easley had told Moyer that he thought his days with the Seahawks were numbered because of his involvement in the player's strike. He was not surprised when the trade happened but the kidney diagnosis had "shocked" him. [29] The Seahawks offered several draft picks as compensation to the Cardinals to complete the trade and Easley announced his retirement a few months later. [27]

Easley filed a lawsuit against the Seahawks, their team trainer and the team doctors stating that an overdose of Advil (ibuprofen) for an ankle injury a few years before was the cause of his kidney failure. [30] He knew as early as 1986 that there were issues with his kidney but finally realized the severity of it when he failed the Cardinals physical. [28] Easley claimed that he took 15 to 20 Advils daily for three months to reduce the swelling in his ankle, before a doctor intervened and told him to stop. [28] A former teammate said that Advil and other medications were easily obtainable in the Seahawks locker room in "large dispensers" without proper medical supervision. [28] Easley's physicians claimed that they never told him to take the quantity of Advils Easley claimed he took. [28] His case made national headlines and formed discussion involving the safe use of over the counter medication like Advil. [28] The lawsuit was later settled out of court. [30]

Easley received a new kidney two years later at the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle. [31] [32]

After retirement

In 1991, Easley bought into a car dealership (along with partner Rick Johnson), Alderwood Oldsmobile & Cadillac in Lynnwood Washington, (which later moved to Shoreline, Washington in 1996), taking advantage of a General Motors program that made it easier for African-Americans and other minorities to own an auto dealership. [33] The dealership became successful and Easley was named president of the African American Dealers Association. [33]

In 1999, Easley, along with Buffalo Bills defensive end Bruce Smith, were named as the new owners of the Norfolk Nighthawks of the AF2, a semi-professional arena football league branched out from the Arena Football League. [34] The day after the city announced Easley and Smith as owners, a controversy arose with Mark Garcea and Page Johnson, the owners of the Hampton Roads Admirals minor league hockey team, and the city of Norfolk, Virginia. Garcea and Johnson stated that they participated in the original AF2 meetings and asked the city for exclusive rights to own the franchise, providing a $5,000 down payment. [35] Instead, the city allowed Easley and Smith to pay the league's $75,000 franchise fee. [35] The AF2 started playing their first games in the summer of 2000. In his first season as owner, the Nighthawks averaged 6,500 fans at their home field per game, and sold 3,200 season tickets. [36] The team made the AF2 playoffs, but lost money in their first season, which Easley blamed as "rookie mistakes" and startup costs. [36] The team disbanded prior to the 2004 season.

Reconciliation with the Seahawks

After his retirement, Easley cut most of his ties with the Seahawks organization, citing the lawsuit, how his "dignity" was affected by the Stouffer trade, and how no one from the organization offered condolences after his kidney transplant. [37] [34] Fifteen years later, he received a phone call from Gary Wright, the Seahawks publicity director, saying that new owner Paul Allen wanted to induct Easley into the Ring of Honor, and that no other players would receive the honor again until he accepted. Easley saw this, as well as the fact that the old ownership group (the Nordstroms) was long gone, as an opportunity to reconcile and re-connect with the Seahawks organization. He accepted the honor, becoming the seventh Seahawk to be inducted into the team Ring of Honor in 2002. He has had cordial relations with the organization since. [38]

Easley was named an honorary captain during Super Bowl XLIX. He flipped the coin while Vince Wilfork called the toss on behalf of the captains. The Seahawks officially retired his number 45 in 2017. [39]

Legacy

In his seven-year career, Easley recorded 32 interceptions for 538 yards and three touchdowns, while also returning 27 punts for 302 yards. In 2002, Easley was elected to the Seattle Seahawks Ring of Honor after several attempts by the Seahawks to nominate him, but he was not interested. [37] [34] He was also named to the NFL 1980s All-Decade Team. [40]

In 2012, the Professional Football Researchers Association named Easley to the PRFA Hall of Very Good Class of 2012. [41]

In 2016, Easley was named the senior finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame's 2017 class, [42] and in February 2017 he was elected, [43] and his bust was sculpted by Scott Myers.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seattle Seahawks</span> National Football League franchise in Seattle, Washington

The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) West, which they rejoined in 2002 as part of a conference realignment. The club entered the NFL as an expansion team in 1976 in the NFC. From 1977 to 2001, Seattle was assigned to the American Football Conference (AFC) West. They have played their home games at Lumen Field in Seattle's SoDo neighborhood since 2002, having previously played home games in the Kingdome (1976–1999) and Husky Stadium.

Sam Adams is an American former professional football player who was a defensive tackle for 14 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Texas A&M Aggies, earning consensus All-American honors, and was selected eighth overall by the Seattle Seahawks in the 1994 NFL Draft. Following six seasons as a member of the Seahawks, he earned consecutive Pro Bowl selections and All-Pro honors during his two seasons with the Baltimore Ravens. Adams was also part of the team that won a Super Bowl title in Super Bowl XXXV and made another championship appearance in his one season for the Oakland Raiders in 2002. As a member of the Buffalo Bills from 2003 to 2004, Adams was named to a third Pro Bowl. He spent his last two seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals and the Denver Broncos.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Randle</span> American football player (born 1967)

John Anthony Randle is an American former football defensive tackle who played eleven seasons for the Minnesota Vikings and three seasons for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He was a six-time first-team All-Pro and seven-time Pro Bowler. Since becoming an official stat in 1982, his 137.5 sacks rank tenth, tied with Richard Dent, and first among defensive tackles. On February 6, 2010, he was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He played college football for the Trinity Valley Cardinals and the Texas A&I Javelinas, and was signed by the Vikings as an undrafted free agent after the 1990 NFL draft. He is considered one of the greatest undrafted players of all time.

Cortez Kennedy was an American professional football player who was a defensive tackle for his entire 11-season career with the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2012. He redefined and expanded the possibilities of how a large-bodied interior lineman could be used. In 1992, he won the Defensive Player of the Year award despite his team finishing 2–14.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ken Norton Jr.</span> American football player and coach (born 1966)

Kenneth Howard Norton Jr. is an American football coach and former player who is the linebackers coach for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). Norton played college football at UCLA and was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round of the 1988 NFL Draft. He won three Super Bowls during his playing career with the Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers before becoming a coach in 2004. Norton has served as an NFL defensive coordinator for the Oakland Raiders and Seattle Seahawks. He is the son of former world champion heavyweight boxer Ken Norton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jerry Gray</span> American football player and coach (born 1962)

Jerry Don Gray is an American football coach and former player who is the assistant head coach/defense for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). Gray played college football at the University of Texas at Austin, where he garnered All-American honors. Thereafter, he played professionally for the Los Angeles Rams, Houston Oilers, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the NFL.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dave Brown (cornerback)</span> American football player and coach (1953–2006)

David Steven Brown was an American professional football player who was a cornerback for 15 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for the Pittsburgh Steelers (1975), Seattle Seahawks (1976–1986), and Green Bay Packers (1987–1989). He was selected as a second-team All-NFL player in 1984 and a second-team All-AFC player in 1985. His 62 career interceptions ranks tied for tenth in NFL history, with only five players having more interceptions in a career since his career ended in 1989. His 50 interceptions with the Seahawks remains a club record.

Steven Charles Emtman is a former professional American football defensive end who played in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Washington and was selected first overall by the Indianapolis Colts in the 1992 NFL Draft. He also played for the Miami Dolphins and Washington Redskins before retiring following the 1997 season.

Emmitt Earl Thomas is a former American football coach and cornerback. He most recently served as the defensive backs coach for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). He played in college at the now defunct Bishop College. He played professionally for the Chiefs of the NFL. He owns the Chiefs all-time interception record with 58, which places him ninth on pro football's all-time list. Thomas was inducted to the NFL's Pro Football Hall of Fame after being nominated by the Seniors Committee. He won Super Bowl IV as a player with the Chiefs and Super Bowl XXII and Super Bowl XXVI as an assistant coach with the Washington Redskins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shawn Springs</span> American football player (born 1975)

Shawn Springs is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons. He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes, earning All-American honors. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks third overall in the 1997 NFL Draft, he played professionally for the Seahawks, Washington Redskins and New England Patriots of the NFL, and was a Pro Bowl selection in 1998.

The 1981 NFL draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 28–29, 1981, at the New York Sheraton Hotel in New York City. The league also held a supplemental draft after the regular draft and before the regular season.

Nathaniel Bernard Odomes is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Buffalo Bills (1987–1993), Seattle Seahawks (1994–1995), and the Atlanta Falcons (1996). Before his NFL career, he played college football for the Wisconsin Badgers, returning 36 punts for 359 yards and intercepting nine passes. His seven interceptions in the 1986 season led the Big Ten Conference. He was selected by the Bills in the second round of the 1987 NFL Draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marquand Manuel</span> American football player and coach (born 1979)

Marquand Alexander Manuel is an American football coach and former safety who is the safeties coach for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the defensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons and as an assistant coach for the Seattle Seahawks. After playing college football for the University of Florida, he was selected in the sixth round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played for eight seasons in the NFL for the Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers, Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos, and Detroit Lions. He was the defensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons from 2017 to 2018.

Ester James Junior III is an American former football player and coach. He played as a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons, from 1981 to 1993, with the St. Louis / Phoenix Cardinals, the Miami Dolphins, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Seattle Seahawks. Junior played college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide, where he played as a defensive end and earned consensus selection to the 1980 College Football All-America Team. He was selected by the Cardinals in the first round with the fifth overall pick of the 1981 NFL Draft. Junior served as the head football coach at Central State University from 2009 to 2013. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a player in 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earl Thomas</span> American football player (born 1989)

Earl Winty Thomas III is an American former professional football safety who played in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Texas Longhorns and received consensus All-American honors and played in the 2010 BCS National Championship Game. He left after his redshirt sophomore year and he was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the first round of the 2010 NFL draft. During his time with the Seahawks, he made 6 Pro Bowls and 5 All-Pro teams as he was a core member of the Legion of Boom defense, winning Super Bowl XLVIII against the Denver Broncos and started in Super Bowl XLIX. After nine seasons with Seattle, he signed with the Baltimore Ravens as a free agent and played one season while earning his 7th Pro Bowl invite.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kam Chancellor</span> American football player (born 1988)

Kameron Darnel Chancellor, nicknamed "Bam Bam Kam", is an American former professional football safety who spent his entire nine-year career with the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Virginia Tech Hokies prior to being selected by the Seahawks in the fifth round of the 2010 NFL draft. A four-time Pro Bowler, he was one of the key members of their Legion of Boom secondary. He also helped lead the Seahawks to victory in Super Bowl XLVIII. Chancellor retired following complications from a neck injury he suffered in 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Sherman (American football)</span> American football player (born 1988)

Richard Kevin Sherman is an American former football cornerback who played 11 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). Sherman played college football for the Stanford Cardinal, beginning his career as a wide receiver before moving to cornerback as a junior. He was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the fifth round of the 2011 NFL draft. He was selected to the Pro Bowl five times and voted All-Pro five times, including three times to the first team, and led the NFL in interceptions in 2013, when he also helped the Seahawks win their first Super Bowl. Sherman is regarded as one of the greatest cornerbacks of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Byron Maxwell</span> American football player (born 1988)

Byron S. Maxwell is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the sixth round of the 2011 NFL Draft, where he was a member of the Seahawks' defensive group known as the Legion of Boom. Maxwell has also played for the Philadelphia Eagles and Miami Dolphins. He played college football for the Clemson Tigers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bobby Wagner</span> American football player (born 1990)

Bobby Joseph Wagner is an American football linebacker for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Utah State and was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the second round of the 2012 NFL draft. Wagner also played for the Los Angeles Rams in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Legion of Boom (Seattle Seahawks)</span> Nickname for the early 2010s Seattle Seahawks defensive backfield

The Legion of Boom (LOB) was the Seattle Seahawks secondary in the early 2010s. The original group that was nicknamed the Legion of Boom consisted of the starters in the Seahawks defensive backfield : Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas, Kam Chancellor, Brandon Browner, Walter Thurmond and Byron Maxwell.

References

  1. ↑ "Kenny Easley NFL Statistics". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. 2000–2013. Retrieved July 4, 2013.
  2. ↑ "Former UCLA, Seattle Seahawks safety Kenny Easley enters Hall of Fame at last". Orange County Register. August 3, 2017.
  3. ↑ "1986 McDonald's Seahawks #45 Kenny Easley" (JPG). McDonald's. McDonald's Corporation. 1986. Retrieved November 12, 2017.
  4. ↑ "1987 Topps #183 Kenny Easley" (JPG). Topps. Topps Chewing Gum, Inc. 1987. Retrieved November 12, 2017.
  5. ↑ Kapadia, Sheil (August 5, 2017). "Kenny Easley finally gets closure with Hall of Fame induction". ESPN.
  6. 1 2 3 Telander, Rick (November 12, 1984). "Easley's Something Special". Sports Illustrated . pp. 75–78.
  7. 1 2 3 McLafferty, Terry (April 29, 1981). "Easley proves easy top pick for Seahawks". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. B1.
  8. ↑ Robinson, Tom (September 7, 1996). ""New" Oscar Smith High Dedicates Field To Old Heroes". The Virginian-Pilot. (Norfolk): McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. Archived from the original on November 11, 2013. Retrieved September 26, 2012.
  9. 1 2 Associated Press (September 21, 1978). "Easley Wants To Be the Best Free Safety". The Junction City Daily Union. p. 7. Retrieved August 3, 2013.
  10. ↑ "Myles Jack Bio". UCLABruins.com. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
  11. ↑ Malamud, Allan (March 27, 1990). "Notes on a Scorecard". Los Angeles Times. p. 3. Retrieved July 31, 2013.(subscription required)
  12. ↑ McLafferty, Terry (April 29, 1981). "Easley proves easy top pick for Seahawks". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. B1.
  13. ↑ McDonough, Will (July 5, 1987). "Seahawks Bucking the Trend? LeagueConcerned That Their Offer to Bosworth Could Upset Salary Picture". The Boston Glove. Archived from the original on June 10, 2014. Retrieved April 19, 2012.(subscription required)
  14. 1 2 Farnsworth, Claire (December 17, 1998). "Hawks Sending Three To Pro Bowl, Sinclair, Springs, Brown Earn Honor". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Hearst Communications Inc. Archived from the original on January 25, 2013. Retrieved September 24, 2012.(subscription required)
  15. ↑ Cour, Jim (November 5, 1984). "Early returns gives Seattle landslide win". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. p. B1.
  16. ↑ Green, Tom (November 5, 1984). "Seahawk secondary sensational". The Bulletin. (Bend, Oregon). UPI. p. D1.
  17. ↑ "End of an Era". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Hearst Communications Inc. February 2, 1996. Archived from the original on January 25, 2013. Retrieved September 24, 2012.(subscription required)
  18. 1 2 Associated Press (January 23, 1985). "Sports People; Easley Gets Big Pact". The New York Times. Retrieved April 19, 2012.
  19. ↑ Associated Press (October 12, 1986). "Raiders hard team to beat". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on June 10, 2014. Retrieved April 19, 2012.(subscription required)
  20. ↑ Associated Press (November 21, 1986). "Sports People; Comings and Goings". The New York Times. Retrieved April 19, 2012.
  21. ↑ Hewitt, Brian (December 14, 1986). "Gault frosted by icy Bears' practice field". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on June 10, 2014. Retrieved April 19, 2012.(subscription required)
  22. 1 2 3 Wilbon, Michael (September 23, 1987). "As Most Players Go Out, a Few, Like Raiders' Wilson, Go In Series: The NFL Strike". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on June 10, 2014. Retrieved April 19, 2012.
  23. ↑ Borges, Ron (September 28, 1987). "Meeting Solidifies Player Unity First Session Between Upshaw and Union Members Turns Into Rally". The Boston Globe. The New York Times Company. Archived from the original on June 10, 2014. Retrieved September 25, 2012.
  24. ↑ Associated Press (December 20, 1987). "Seahawks streaky, efficient". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on June 10, 2014. Retrieved April 19, 2012.
  25. 1 2 McDonough, Will (April 3, 1988). "Making a Pass at Quarterbacks". The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on June 10, 2014. Retrieved April 19, 2012.
  26. ↑ Associated Press (April 28, 1988). "Retirement Near". The New York Times. Retrieved July 22, 2006.
  27. 1 2 Associated Press (May 21, 1988). "Sports People; Easley Plans to Retire". The New York Times. Retrieved April 16, 2012.
  28. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Almond, Elliott (August 12, 1990). "Easley's Lawsuit Puts Medication on Defense; Ex-Seahawk Cites Over-the-Counter Drug". The Washington Post. Washingtonpost Newsweek Interactive. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved September 25, 2012.(subscription required)
  29. ↑ "Kidney ailment sidelines Kenny Easley". The Youngstown Vindicator. Associated Press. May 15, 1988. pp. D–12. Retrieved December 1, 2012.
  30. 1 2 George, Thomas (July 28, 2002). "Pro Football; Care by Team Doctors Raises Conflict Issue". The New York Times. Retrieved April 19, 2012.
  31. ↑ "Easley rests following transplant". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). staff and wire reports. June 9, 1990. p. B2.
  32. ↑ Associated Press (June 9, 1990). "Sports People: Pro Football; New Kidney for Easley". The New York Times. Retrieved April 19, 2012.
  33. 1 2 "Ex-Hawk Kenny Easley on Road to Success: The Oldsmobile-Cadillac". Portland Skanner. September 2, 1998. Archived from the original on March 18, 2016. Retrieved May 27, 2012.(subscription required)
  34. 1 2 3 Farnsworth, Clare (September 9, 2000). "Whatever Happened To ... Kenny Easley? Former All-Pro Safety Still Harbors Ill-Will Against Seahawks". Seattle Post-Intelligencer . Archived from the original on January 25, 2013. Retrieved May 27, 2012.(subscription required)
  35. 1 2 Minium, Harry (April 22, 1999). "Indoor Football at Center of Dispute: Admirals Owners Say They Should Own New X-Treme League Team". The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA). McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved September 25, 2012.(subscription required)
  36. 1 2 Minium, Harry (November 12, 2000). "Nighthawks' Owner Sees Bigger, Better Things in Second Season". The Virginian-Pilot . Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved May 27, 2012.(subscription required)
  37. 1 2 Farnsworth, Clare (October 15, 2002). "Seahawks/NFL Beat: Easley unloads after 15-year estrangement". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved August 3, 2013.
  38. ↑ Condotta, Bob (July 12, 2017). "Kenny Easley getting ready for the 'great honor' of becoming fourth Seahawk inducted into Pro Football Hall of Fame". The Seattle Times. Retrieved August 5, 2017.
  39. ↑ "2017 Week 4: Kenny Easley Jersey Number Retirement Ceremony". Seattle Seahawks . October 1, 2017. Retrieved October 4, 2017.
  40. ↑ "NFL All-Decade Team 1980s". NFL.com. Retrieved July 31, 2013.
  41. ↑ "Hall of Very Good Class of 2012" . Retrieved November 29, 2021.
  42. ↑ "Seahawks' Kenny Easley named HOF senior finalist". NFL.com . Retrieved September 14, 2016.
  43. ↑ "Seahawks Safety Kenny Easley Elected to Pro Football Hall of Fame". Seattle Seahawks . February 4, 2017. Retrieved February 4, 2017.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.