Seattle Seahawks, professional football team and one of five teams in the Western Division of the American Football Conference (AFC) of the National Football League (NFL). Under the league’s realignment plan, which will take affect in 2002, the Seahawks will move into the West Division of the National Football Conference (NFC). The Seahawks played in the Kingdome in Seattle, Washington, from 1976 to 1999. The stadium was demolished in early 2000, and the club adopted Husky Stadium at the University of Washington as its home field while a new stadium, scheduled to be completed in 2002, was constructed. The team wears uniforms of blue, green, and silver. The Seahawks joined the NFL in 1976 when the league granted an expansion team franchise to John Nordstrom, a Seattle department store owner. In the club’s first season, quarterback Jim Zorn passed for more than 2,500 yards and was named the league’s top offensive rookie. Jack Patera was named coach of the year in 1978 after leading the Seahawks to their first winning season. Zorn led the AFC in passing yardage that year, and wide receiver Steve Largent notched the first of his eight 1,000-yard seasons. Former Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Rams head coach Chuck Knox was hired in 1983 to guide the Seahawks. Rookie running back Curt Warner led the AFC in rushing that year, producing the first of his four 1,000-yard seasons with the club. Quarterback Dave Krieg became one of the league’s most efficient passers. The Seahawks earned their first trip to the playoffs in 1983, defeating their first two opponents before losing to the Los Angeles Raiders (now Oakland Raiders) in the AFC Championship Game. Knox’s Seahawks collected a club-record 12 victories in 1984 but lost in the second round of the playoffs. In 1986 Largent set an NFL record by catching a pass in his 128th consecutive game, and a year later he broke the record for most career receptions, surpassing Charlie Joiner, who had totaled 750. The Seahawks won their first division crown in 1988. The team struggled defensively, however, and lost in the first round of the playoffs. Largent retired in 1989 as the most prolific wide receiver in professional football history. He became only the second receiver, after Don Hutson, to own career records in yards (13,089), receptions (819), and touchdowns (100) all at the same time. (Jerry Rice now holds all three records.) During the 1990s, the Seahawks’ stars included wide receiver Brian Blades, running back Chris Warren, and tackle Cortez Kennedy. The Seahawks stumbled, however, posting five losing records in seven seasons from 1990 to 1996. After adding talented new players such as linebacker Chad Brown and defensive back Shawn Springs, they returned to the playoffs in 1999. The Seattle Seahawks have never played in the Super Bowl.