After a tumultuous stretch of the 1990s in which the Seahawks had some rough seasons, the tides began to turn a bit later in the decade, most notably when, in 1996, Paul Allen entered into an agreement to purchase the team. While the sale was contingent on a vote to help fund a new stadium, meaning Allen’s ownership wasn’t  official until the summer of 1997, the vibes around the team had already begun to shift following the 1996 season, and that was particularly evident when the Seahawks made a big splash in free agency, signing former Steelers All-Pro linebacker Chad Brown.  

Free agency, which began earlier in the decade, was still relatively new to the NFL, and Brown’s signing was one of the biggest to date for the franchise. And he definitely did not disappointing after signing that big free-agency deal. Brown had 104 tackles, 6.5 sacks and four fumble recoveries, two of which he returned for touchdowns in his first season as a Seahawk. The following year, Brown earned first-team All-Pro and Pro-Bowl honors after recording 7.5 sacks, 149 tackles, one interception, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.  

“His signing kind of signaled the Seahawks returning to respectability a little bit after what had been some lean years on the field and kind of chaotic off the field as well,” said Seattle Times Seahawks beat reporter Bob Condotta. “Bringing him in was a real ray of hope for Seahawks fans.”

Brown, who was a Pro-Bowl and All-Pro selection in his final season in Pittsburgh, earned Pro-Bowl honors twice with the Seahawks along with one first-team All-Pro nod, and was a three-time team captain. Brown was also voted team MVP in 1998, and was the winner of the team’s Steve Largent Award in 1999. That 1999 season saw Brown earn his second Pro-Bowl selection as a Seahawk as he helped the team to its first division title and playoff berth since 1988.  

Brown, who led the team in tackles in each of his first three seasons with Seattle, finished his career with 744 tackles as a Seahawk, the sixth most in franchise history. Brown also contributed 48 sacks, 55 tackles for loss, and his three fumble return touchdowns are tied for the most in franchise history with Bobby Wagner.  

Injuries limited Brown in his final seasons with the Seahawks, but he still was a key contributor and veteran leader on the Mike Holmgren-coached teams that won NFC West titles in 2003 and 2004.