Each year, the Seattle Seahawks acknowledge one of their former great players and their contributions back to the community. They bestow the coveted title of “Legend of the Year” upon them. Last year, Seattle named Randall Morris to this honor.
On Monday, the Seahawks have named their Legend of the Year for 2024… Super Bowl XLVIII Champion and hometown hero Jermaine Kearse!
Our 2024 Seahawks Legend of the Year is @JKearse_15!
Jermaine, a Super Bowl XLVIII Champion and proud Washington native, is the co-founder of Evergreen Golf Club in Redmond, WA. Beyond his entrepreneurial success, he is a dedicated community activist working to enhance local… pic.twitter.com/qy2IaOG2eX
— Seahawks Legends (@SeahawksLegends) November 4, 2024
“Seahawks Legend” is the perfect way to describe Jermaine Kearse and what he means to this franchise. A Lakewood, WA native, Kearse became a Washington Husky, and after going undrafted, signed with the hometown Seahawks. A longshot to even make the roster, Kearse would go on to prove to be one of the most impactful players who ever donned the navy and neon Seattle uniforms.
It is not an overstatement to say Jermaine Kearse has the four single most important receptions in Seahawks history:
- Go-ahead touchdown on 4th down in the 2013 NFC Championship to give Seattle a 20-17 lead (Seahawks eventually won 23-17)
- “Pinball Wizard” touchdown in Super Bowl XLVIII to extend Seattle’s lead to 36-0 late in the third quarter.
- Overtime touchdown reception in the 2014 NFC Championship to beat the Packers 28-22 (Kearse’s only reception of the game)
- Improbable reception in Super Bowl XLIX to give the Seahawks a chance to repeat as Champs.
Kearse played in the league for seven years, the first five of which were in Seattle, the last two in New York. In his career, Kearse had 255 receptions for 3,290 yards and 17 touchdowns. But to Seahawks fans, he is a franchise Hall of Fame caliber player.
