1980 Seattle Seahawks season
OwnerThe Nordstrom family
General managerJohn Thompson
Head coachJack Patera
Home fieldKingdome
Results
Record4–12
Division place5th AFC West
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Pro BowlersNone
AP All-ProsNone

The 1980 Seattle Seahawks season was the team's fifth season in the National Football League (NFL).

The 1980 season was a strange season for the Seattle Seahawks. The team started off 4–3, then lost the remaining nine games of the season. They accumulated four road wins, but lost all eight regular season home games. The offense struggled, especially after losing Sherman Smith to a knee injury for the season. With the running game struggling, the team gave up 52 sacks, up from 23 in 1979. The offense went from 7th to 21st. Even though the defense improved from 27th to 13th, the Seahawks still gave up 405 points.

Memorable moments included a 26–7 road win against the Houston Oilers, intercepting Kenny Stabler five times; a 17–16 road win against the Kansas City Chiefs (their last at Arrowhead Stadium until 1990); and a 14–0 road win against the Washington Redskins, with the offense rushing for over 220 yards.

More indicative of the season were the home losses: a week 1 34–13 rout at home inflicted by the San Diego Chargers, a 37–31 loss to the New England Patriots, featuring several lead changes, as the Seattle defense could not hold on; losing to the Kansas City Chiefs 31–30, after going into the 4th quarter with a 23–10 lead, and the Chiefs intercepting Jim Zorn a season-high five times, leading to 17 Kansas City points. The low point of the season was a 27–21 loss to a struggling New York Giants team, one which finished 4–12 (although one was over the Cowboys). On Thanksgiving Day, November 27, the Dallas Cowboys defeated the Seahawks 51–7, in Dallas, but many people believe the Giants loss was worse.

The successes of the 1978 and 1979 seasons were long forgotten by the season's end.

Offseason

NFL Draft

1980 Seattle Seahawks draft
Round Pick Player Position College Notes
1 10 Jacob Green *  Defensive end Texas A&M from Buffalo
2 44 Andre Hines  Tackle Stanford
4 97 Terry Dion  Defensive end Oregon
5 127 Joe Steele  Running back Washington
5 132 Daniel Jacobs  Defensive end Winston-Salem State
6 153 Mark McNeal  Defensive end Idaho
8 204 Vic Minor  Defensive back Northeast Louisiana
8 207 Jack Cosgrove  Center Pacific
9 238 Jim Swift  Tackle Iowa
10 265 Ron Essink  Tackle Grand Valley State
10 274 Billy Reaves  Wide receiver Morris Brown
11 292 Tali Ena  Running back Washington State
12 319 Presnell Gilbert  Defensive back U. S. International
      Made roster    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career
Source:[1]

Undrafted free agents

1980 Undrafted Free Agents of note
Player Position College
Dave Krieg Quarterback Milton College

Personnel

Staff

1980 Seattle Seahawks staff
Front office
  • Managing general partner – Herman Sarkowsky
  • general manager – John Thompson
  • Assistant general manager – Mark Duncan
  • Director of player personnel – Dick Mansperger
  • Director of pro scouting – Chuck Allen

Head coaches

Offensive coaches

Defensive coaches

Special teams coaches

Strength and conditioning

  • Head trainer – Bruce Scott
  • Assistant trainer – Jim Whitesel

Final roster

1980 Seattle Seahawks final roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

Reserve lists


Rookies in italics
49 active, 0 inactive, 0 practice squad

[2]

  • Starters in bold.

Schedule

Preseason

Week Date Opponent Result Record Game site Recap
1 August 7 Atlanta Falcons W 14–10 1–0 Kingdome Recap
2 August 18 Miami Dolphins L 7–24 1–1 Kingdome Recap
3 August 23 at San Francisco 49ers W 10–7 2–1 Candlestick Park Recap
4 August 29 at New England Patriots W 30–23 3–1 Schaefer Stadium Recap
Source: Seahawks Media Guides[3][4]

Regular season

Divisional matchups have the AFC West playing the NFC East.

Week Date Opponent Result Record Game site Recap
1 September 7 San Diego Chargers L 13–34 0–1 Kingdome Recap
2 September 14 at Kansas City Chiefs W 17–16 1–1 Arrowhead Stadium Recap
3 September 21 New England Patriots L 31–37 1–2 Kingdome Recap
4 September 28 at Washington Redskins W 14–0 2–2 RFK Stadium Recap
5 October 5 at Houston Oilers W 26–7 3–2 Houston Astrodome Recap
6 October 12 Cleveland Browns L 3–27 3–3 Kingdome Recap
7 October 19 at New York Jets W 27–17 4–3 Shea Stadium Recap
8 October 26 at Oakland Raiders L 14–33 4–4 Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Recap
9 November 2 Philadelphia Eagles L 20–27 4–5 Kingdome Recap
10 November 9 Kansas City Chiefs L 30–31 4–6 Kingdome Recap
11 November 17 Oakland Raiders L 17–19 4–7 Kingdome Recap
12 November 23 at Denver Broncos L 20–36 4–8 Mile High Stadium Recap
13 November 27 at Dallas Cowboys L 7–51 4–9 Texas Stadium Recap
14 December 7 New York Giants L 21–27 4–10 Kingdome Recap
15 December 13 at San Diego Chargers L 14–21 4–11 Jack Murphy Stadium Recap
16 December 21 Denver Broncos L 17–25 4–12 Kingdome Recap
Bold indicates division opponents.
Source: 1980 NFL season results[5]

Standings

AFC West
W L T PCT DIV CONF PF PA STK
San Diego Chargers(1) 11 5 0 .688 6–2 9–3 418 327 W2
Oakland Raiders(4) 11 5 0 .688 6–2 9–3 364 306 W2
Kansas City Chiefs 8 8 0 .500 4–4 6–8 319 336 W1
Denver Broncos 8 8 0 .500 3–5 5–7 310 323 W1
Seattle Seahawks 4 12 0 .250 1–7 3–9 291 408 L9

Game summaries

Preseason

Week P1: vs. Atlanta Falcons

Preseason Week One: Seattle Seahawks vs. Atlanta Falcons – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Falcons 0 7 0310
Seahawks 7 7 0014

at Kingdome, Seattle

  • Date: August 7
  • Game time: 7:36 pm local
  • Game weather: indoors
  • Game attendance: 59,555
  • Referee: Bob Frederic
  • TV: KIRO
  • Gamebook

Week P2: vs. Miami Dolphins

Preseason Week Two: Seattle Seahawks vs. Miami Dolphins – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Dolphins 7 0 01724
Seahawks 7 0 007

at Kingdome, Seattle

Week P3: at San Francisco 49ers

Preseason Week Three: Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Seahawks 0 0 000
49ers 0 0 000

at Candlestick Park, San Francisco

  • Date: August 23
  • Game time: 7:04 pm local
  • Game weather: clear, 58 °F (14 °C), wind 5 miles per hour (8.0 km/h)
  • Game attendance: 41,841
  • Referee: Jim Tunney
  • TV: KIRO
  • Gamebook

Week P4: vs. New England Patriots

Preseason Week Four: Seattle Seahawks vs. New England Patriots – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Patriots 10 6 7023
Seahawks 7 17 3330

at Kingdome, Seattle

Regular season

Week 1: vs. San Diego Chargers

Week One: Seattle Seahawks vs. San Diego Chargers – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Chargers 3 21 7334
Seahawks 3 0 3713

at Kingdome, Seattle

  • Date: September 7
  • Game time: 1:01 pm local
  • Game weather: indoors
  • Game attendance: 62,042
  • Referee: Jerry Seeman
  • TV announcers (NBC): Merle Harmon and Carl Eller
  • Gamebook
Game information

Week 2: at Kansas City Chiefs

Week Two: Seattle Seahawks at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Seahawks 7 10 0017
Chiefs 0 7 6316

at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

Game information

Week 3: vs. New England Patriots

Week Three: Seattle Seahawks vs. New England Patriots – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Patriots 3 17 71037
Seahawks 3 14 01431

at Kingdome, Seattle

Game information

Week 4: at Washington Redskins

Week Four: Seattle Seahawks at Washington Redskins – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Seahawks 0 7 0714
Redskins 0 0 000

at RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C.

Game information

Week 5: at Houston Oilers

Week Five: Seattle Seahawks at Houston Oilers – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Seahawks 3 20 3026
Oilers 0 0 077

at Astrodome, Houston, Texas

Game information

Week 6: vs. Cleveland Browns

Week Six: Seattle Seahawks vs. Cleveland Browns – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Browns 7 6 7727
Seahawks 0 3 003

at Kingdome, Seattle

Game information

Week 7: at New York Jets

Week Seven: Seattle Seahawks at New York Jets – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Seahawks 3 0 71727
Jets 0 7 7317

at Shea Stadium, New York

Game information

Week 8: at Oakland Raiders

Week Eight: Seattle Seahawks at Oakland Raiders – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Seahawks 0 0 01414
Raiders 3 3 101733

at Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland, California

  • Date: October 26
  • Game time: 1:01 pm local
  • Game weather: clear, 63 °F (17 °C), 73% humidity, wind SW 5 miles per hour (8.0 km/h)
  • Game attendance: 50,185
  • Referee: Cal Lepore
  • TV announcers (NBC): Sam Nover and Bob Trumpy
  • Gamebook
Game information

Week 9: vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Week Nine: Seattle Seahawks vs. Philadelphia Eagles – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Eagles 0 7 101027
Seahawks 6 0 7720

at Kingdome, Seattle

Game information

Week 10: vs. Kansas City Chiefs

Week Ten: Seattle Seahawks vs. Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Chiefs 3 0 72131
Seahawks 0 17 6730

at Kingdome, Seattle

Game information

Week 11: vs. Oakland Raiders

Week Eleven: Seattle Seahawks vs. Oakland Raiders – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Raiders 0 0 71219
Seahawks 0 7 7317

at Kingdome, Seattle

Game information

Week 12: at Denver Broncos

Week Twelve: Seattle Seahawks at Denver Broncos – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Seahawks 0 10 01020
Broncos 7 10 31636

at Mile High Stadium, Denver, Colorado

  • Date: November 23
  • Game time: 2:00 pm local
  • Game weather: cloudy, 34 °F (1 °C), 69% humidity, wind E 9 miles per hour (14 km/h)
  • Game attendance: 73,274
  • Referee: Jerry Seeman
  • TV announcers (NBC): Charlie Jones and Len Dawson
  • Gamebook
Game information

Week 13: at Dallas Cowboys

Week Thirteen: Seattle Seahawks at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Seahawks 0 0 077
Cowboys 9 21 02151

at Texas Stadium, Irving, Texas

  • Date: November 27
  • Game time: 3:00 pm local
  • Game weather: partly cloudy, 49 °F (9 °C), 52% humidity, wind WNW 17 miles per hour (27 km/h)
  • Game attendance: 57,540
  • Referee: Pat Haggerty
  • TV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg and Merlin Olsen
  • Gamebook
Game information

Week 14: vs. New York Giants

Week Fourteen: Seattle Seahawks vs. New York Giants – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Giants 3 10 01427
Seahawks 0 7 7721

at Kingdome, Seattle

Game information

Week 15: at San Diego Chargers

Week Fifteen: Seattle Seahawks at San Diego Chargers – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Seahawks 0 0 7714
Chargers 0 21 0021

at San Diego Stadium, San Diego, California

  • Date: December 13
  • Game time: 1:01 pm local
  • Game weather: clear, 72 °F (22 °C), 48% humidity, wind SW 5 miles per hour (8.0 km/h)
  • Game attendance: 49,980
  • Referee: Red Cashion
  • TV announcers (NBC): Charlie Jones and Len Dawson
  • Gamebook
Game information

Week 16: vs. Denver Broncos

Week Sixteen: Seattle Seahawks vs. Denver Broncos – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Broncos 10 9 6025
Seahawks 0 0 31417

at Kingdome, Seattle

  • Date: December 21
  • Game time: 1:01 pm local
  • Game weather: indoors
  • Game attendance: 51,853
  • Referee: Bob McElwee
  • TV announcers (NBC): Jay Randolph and Gene Washington
  • Gamebook
Game information

References

  1. "1980 Seattle Seahawks Draftees". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved May 14, 2022.
  2. "Home". pro-football-reference.com.
  3. 1980 Seahawks Media Guide, accessed February 14, 2015.
  4. 1981 Seahawks Media Guide, accessed February 14, 2015.
  5. 1980 NFL season results, NFL.com, accessed February 14, 2015.
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