Jacob Green joined the Seahawks as the 10th overall pick in the 1980 draft, and over the course of the next 12 seasons he would go on to establish himself as one of the top players in franchise history.
A member of the Seahawks Ring of Honor, Green was part of the “Die Hards” defensive line trio along with Jeff Bryant and Joe Nash that anchored the Chuck Knox era defenses that helped the Seahawks rise to prominence in the 1980s.
“Jacob Green was one of the key guys in that Chuck Knox era as they were on the rise to be a playoff team and be feared,” said longtime ESPN broadcaster and Kent, Washington native Kenny Mayne.
After a standout career at Texas A&M, Green wasted no time making a name for himself, starting 13 of his 14 games played as a rookie while recording 6.0 sacks to earn a spot on the PFWA All-Rookie Team.
The Seahawks’ all-time leader in sacks with 115.5, Green was a two-time Pro-Bowl selection who started 176 of 178 games played over 12 seasons in Seattle, giving him the third most starts in franchise history behind Hall of Famers Steve Largent (197) and Walter Jones (180), and the fifth most games played. Green’s 28 forced fumbles and 17 fumble recoveries are also franchise records, his 718 tackles rank seventh, and second among defensive linemen, and his four return touchdowns (two interception returns and two fumble returns) are tied for second most. Green is also one of five players in team history with four sacks in a game.
While Green wasn’t familiar with Seattle prior to that 1980 draft—he has told the story numerous times that, when he initially heard he was going to Washington, he thought that meant Washington D.C., not Washington state—he would go on to form a strong bond with the area and the fans who he credits with helping him pile up so many sacks.
“That place was rocking,” Green told Seahawks Stories. “I always tell people, half of my sacks here at home, the fans had a lot to do with it, because (opposing offenses) couldn’t hear the snap count.”
Said Seattle Times Seahawks beat reporter Bob Condotta, “It was fun at the Kingdome, you could hear the roar grow as people saw that he had gotten that step and he was going to be able to blindside the quarterback.”
Green’s connection to the region continued long after his storied career came to an end thanks to the Jacob Green Golf Classic, an annual event that benefits the Fred Hutch Cancer Center. He is also the father-in-law of another standout Seahawks defensive lineman, Red Bryant, who was a captain on the Super Bowl winning 2013 team.
