The 1981 Seattle Seahawks season was the team's sixth season with the National Football League (NFL). The Seahawks got off to a terrible start, losing six of their first seven games, on the way to a 6–10 season. Steve Largent would have a stellar season with 1,224 receiving yards. Jim Zorn was having a bounce back season, completing a career high 59% of his passes, 13 TDs 9 INT’s 6.2 yards per attempt before his injury against the Raiders at home. Seattle opened their season at Cincinnati, and held a 21–0 lead before the Bengals rallied for an improbable 27–21 win. This loss was a portent into the season. The Seahawks also blew a 24–3 3rd quarter lead at home to the Raiders before losing 32–31. Seven of their 10 losses were by two possessions or more.
The Achilles heel for the team was the running game on offense and defense. On offense they ranked 27th in yards and 26th in yards per attempt. On defense the ranking was 27th in yards 28th in yards per attempt. Only once did the defense hold a team under 100 yards rushing which was against the Chargers in San Diego, losing 24–10.
The disappointing season had some memorable highlights. At the time the biggest come behind victory, at home against the Steelers, down 21–3 winning 24–21. On Monday night, the team’s first victory over the San Diego Chargers, losing their first seven meetings, winning 44–23.
Offseason
Draft
Undrafted free agents
Personnel
Staff
1981 Seattle Seahawks staff
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Front office
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
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Defensive coaches
Special teams coaches
Strength and conditioning
- Head trainer – Bruce Scott
- Assistant trainer – Jim Whitesel
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Final roster
[1]
- Starters in bold.
- (*) Denotes players that were selected for the 1982 Pro Bowl.
Schedule
Preseason
- Source: Seahawks Media Guides[2][3]
Regular season
- Bold indicates division opponents.
- Source: 1981 NFL season results[4]
Standings
Game summaries
Preseason
Week P1: vs. San Francisco 49ers
Preseason Week One: Seattle Seahawks vs. San Francisco 49ers – Game summary
at Kingdome, Seattle
Week P2: vs. St. Louis Cardinals
Preseason Week Two: Seattle Seahawks vs. St. Louis Cardinals – Game summary
at Kingdome, Seattle
Week P3: at San Francisco 49ers
Preseason Week Three: Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers – Game summary
at Candlestick Park, San Francisco
- Date:
- Game time: 6:05 pm local
- Game weather: cloudy, 60 °F (16 °C), wind NE 19 miles per hour (31 km/h)
- Game attendance: 37,563
- Referee: Bob McElwee
- TV: KIRO
- Gamebook
Week P4: vs. Baltimore Colts
Preseason Week Four: Seattle Seahawks vs. Baltimore Colts – Game summary
at Kingdome, Seattle
Regular season
Week 1: at Cincinnati Bengals
Week One: Seattle Seahawks at Cincinnati Bengals – Game summary
at Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio
- Date: September 6
- Game time: 1:00 pm local
- Game weather: partly cloudy, 70 °F (21 °C), 71% humidity, wind NE 4 miles per hour (6.4 km/h)
- Game attendance: 41,177
- Referee: Bob Frederic
- TV: NBC
- Gamebook
Game information
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First quarter
Second quarter
- CIN – Jim Breech 25-yard field goal, 10:44 (SEA 21–3)
- CIN – Pete Johnson 3-yard run (Jim Breech kick), 0:57 (SEA 21–10)
Third quarter
- CIN – Jim Breech 40-yard field goal, 11:32 (SEA 21–13)
- CIN – Archie Griffin 3-yard run (Jim Breech kick), 2:52 (SEA 21–20)
Fourth quarter
- CIN – Pete Johnson 2-yard run (Jim Breech kick), 5:04 (CIN 27–21)
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Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
Team – – – –
- SEA –230 – 60 – 290 – 4
- CIN – 165 – 210 – 375 – 4
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Week 2: vs. Denver Broncos
Week Two: Seattle Seahawks vs. Denver Broncos – Game summary
at Kingdome, Seattle
Game information
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First quarter
Second quarter
- SEA – Efrén Herrera 43-yard field goal, 2:39 (SEA 10–3)
- DEN – Riley Odoms 11-yard pass from Craig Morton (Fred Steinfort kick), 1:06 (Tied 10–10)
Third quarter
- SEA – Efrén Herrera 22-yard field goal, 5:53 (SEA 13–10)
Fourth quarter
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Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
Team – – – –
- DEN – 142 – 110 – 252 – 2
- SEA – 156 – 111 – 267 – 2
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Week 3: at Oakland Raiders
Game information
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First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
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Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
Team – – – –
- SEA – 308 – 82 – 390 – 2
- OAK – 242 – 190 – 432 – 3
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Week 4: vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Week Four: Seattle Seahawks vs. Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
at Kingdome, Seattle
Game information
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First quarter
Second quarter
- KC – Bill Kenney 1-yard run (Nick Lowery kick), 13:41 (KC 14–0)
- KC – Nick Lowery 30-yard field goal, 6:40 (KC 17–0)
- KC – Nick Lowery 38-yard field goal, 5:28 (KC 20–0)
- SEA – Sam McCullum 11-yard pass from Jim Zorn (Efrén Herrera kick), 1:58 (KC 20–7)
Third quarter
- SEA – Sherman Smith 2-yard run (Efrén Herrera kick), 11:01 (KC 20–14)
Fourth quarter
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Top passers
Top rushers
- KC – Joe Delaney: 15 car, 45 yds
- SEA – Jim Zorn: 4 car, 48 yds
Top receivers
Team – – – –
- KC – 227 – 154 – 381 – 2
- SEA – 277 – 82 – 359 – 1
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Week 5: at San Diego Chargers
Game information
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First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
- SD – Charlie Joiner 12-yard pass from Dan Fouts (Rolf Benirschke kick), 4:50 (SD 17–7)
Fourth quarter
- SEA – Efrén Herrera 11-yard field goal, 10:30 (SD 17–10)
- SD – Charlie Joiner 11-yard pass from Dan Fouts (Rolf Benirschke kick), 3:56 (SD 24–10)
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Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
Team – – – –
- SEA – 200 – 92 – 292 – 1
- SD – 272 – 99 – 371 – 2
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Week 6: at Houston Oilers
Game information
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First quarter
Second quarter
- HOU – Earl Campbell 1-yard run (Toni Fritsch kick), 1:16 (HOU 14–10)
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
- HOU – Dave Casper 32-yard pass from Ken Stabler (Toni Fritsch kick), 14:54 (HOU 21–10)
- HOU – Ken Burrough 24-yard pass from Ken Stabler (Toni Fritsch kick), 11:55 (HOU 28–10)
- HOU – Earl Campbell 4-yard run (Toni Fritsch kick), 6:59 (HOU 35–10)
- SEA – Steve Largent 31-yard pass from Sam Adkins (Efrén Herrera kick), 5:18 (HOU 35–17)
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Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
Team – – – –
- SEA – 214 – 75 – 289 – 3
- HOU – 156 – 216 – 372 – 1
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Week 7: vs. New York Giants
Week Seven: Seattle Seahawks vs. New York Giants – Game summary
at Kingdome, Seattle
Game information
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First quarter
- NYG – Joe Danelo 29-yard field goal, 9:23 (NYG 3–0)
Second quarter
- NYG – Gary Shirk 6-yard pass from Phil Simms (Joe Danelo kick), 12:09 (NYG 10–0)
- NYG – Joe Danelo 54-yard field goal, 4:30 (NYG 13–0)
Third quarter
- NYG – Joe Danelo 21-yard field goal, 12:10 (NYG 16–0)
- NYG – Joe Danelo 47-yard field goal, 5:39 (NYG 19–0)
- NYG – Rob Carpenter 2-yard run (Joe Danelo kick), 3:5 (NYG 26–0)
Fourth quarter
- NYG – Joe Danelo 31-yard field goal, 11:15 (NYG 29–0)
- NYG – Joe Danelo 37-yard field goal, 0:16 (NYG 32–0)
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Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
Team – – – –
- NYG – 88 – 213 – 301 – 1
- SEA – 98 – 29 – 127 – 4
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Week 8: at New York Jets
Week Eight: Seattle Seahawks at New York Jets – Game summary
at Shea Stadium, New York
Game information
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First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
- SEA – Steve Largent 27-yard pass from Jim Zorn (PAT failed), 12:53 (SEA 13–0)
- NYJ – Pat Leahy 34-yard field goal, 7:53 (SEA 13–3)
Fourth quarter
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Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
Team – – – –
- SEA – 163 – 217 – 380 – 1
- NYJ – 101 – 118 – 219 – 4
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Week 9: at Green Bay Packers
Game information
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First quarter
Second quarter
- SEA – Dan Doornink 12-yard pass from Jim Zorn (Efrén Herrera kick), 11:03 (SEA 14–7)
- GB – David Whitehurst 1-yard run (Jan Stenerud kick), 5:19 (Tied 14–14)
- GB – James Lofton 8-yard pass from David Whitehurst (Jan Stenerud kick), 4:18 (GB 21–14)
- SEA – Dan Doornink 14-yard pass from Jim Zorn (Efrén Herrera kick), 0:24 (Tied 21–21)
Third quarter
- SEA – Efrén Herrera 54-yard field goal, 5:54 (SEA 24–21)
- GB – James Lofton 38-yard pass from David Whitehurst (Jan Stenerud kick), 1:02 (GB 28–24)
Fourth quarter
- GB – Jan Stenerud 19-yard field goal, 1:58 (GB 31–24)
- GB – Jan Stenerud 36-yard field goal, 0:45 (GB 34–24)
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Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
Team – – – –
- SEA – 102 – 119 – 221 – 3
- GB – 195 – 182 – 337 – 3
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Week 10: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Week Ten: Seattle Seahawks vs. Pittsburgh Steelers – Game summary
at Kingdome, Seattle
Game information
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First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
- SEA – Theotis Brown 1-yard run (Efrén Herrera kick), 13:13 (PIT 21–17)
- SEA – Theotis Brown 1-yard run (Efrén Herrera kick), 9:04 (SEA 24–21)
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Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
Team – – – –
- PIT – 205 – 162 – 367 – 2
- SEA – 260 – 96 – 356 – 1
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Week 11: vs. San Diego Chargers
Week Eleven: Seattle Seahawks vs. San Diego Chargers – Game summary
at Kingdome, Seattle
Game information
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First quarter
Second quarter
- SEA – Efrén Herrera 25-yard field goal, 12:43 (SD 7–3)
- SEA – Theotis Brown 2-yard run (Efrén Herrera kick), 11:27 (SEA 10–7)
- SEA – Sherman Smith 18-yard pass from Jim Zorn (Efrén Herrera kick), 5:56 (SEA 17–7)
- SD – Chuck Muncie 73-yard run (Rolf Benirschke kick), 4:26 (SEA 17–14)
- SEA – Theotis Brown 1-yard run (Efrén Herrera kick), 0:57 (SEA 24–14)
- SD – Rolf Benirschke 32-yard field goal, 0:03 (SEA 24–17)
Third quarter
- SEA – Dan Doornink 80-yard pass from Jim Zorn (Efrén Herrera kick), 5:46 (SEA 31–17)
- SEA – Dan Doornink 3-yard run (Efrén Herrera kick), 0:12 (SEA 38–17)
Fourth quarter
- SEA – Efrén Herrera 30-yard field goal, 13:05 (SEA 41–17)
- SD – Charlie Joiner 19-yard pass from Dan Fouts (PAT failed), 11:39 (SEA 41–23)
- SEA – Efrén Herrera 23-yard field goal, 6:11 (SEA 44–23)
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Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
Team – – – –
- SD – 291 – 195 – 486 – 4
- SEA – 212 – 156 – 368 – 0
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Week 12: at Kansas City Chiefs
Game information
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First quarter
Second quarter
- KC – Nick Lowery 24-yard field goal, 11:16 (KC 6–3)
- SEA – Efrén Herrera 30-yard field goal, 2:51 (Tied 6–6)
- KC – J.T. Smith 14-yard pass from Bill Kenney (Nick Lowery kick), 1:07 (KC 13–6)
- KC – Lloyd Burruss 46-yard interception return (Nick Lowery kick), 0:31 (KC 20–6)
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
- KC – Willie Scott 2-yard pass from Bill Kenney (Nick Lowery kick), 14:57 (KC 33–13)
- KC – Billy Jackson 2-yard run (Nick Lowery kick), 9:36 (KC 40–13)
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Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
Team – – – –
- SEA – 256 – 83 – 339 – 2
- KC – 181 – 269 – 450 – 0
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Week 13: vs. Oakland Raiders
Week Thirteen: Seattle Seahawks vs. Oakland Raiders – Game summary
at Kingdome, Seattle
Game information
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First quarter
Second quarter
- SEA – Efrén Herrera 22-yard field goal, 12:38 (SEA 3–0)
- OAK – Chris Bahr 20-yard field goal, 8:26 (Tied 3–3)
- SEA – Jim Zorn 3-yard run (Efrén Herrera kick), 5:44 (SEA 10–3)
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
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Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
Team – – – –
- OAK – 156 – 181 – 337 – 4
- SEA – 314 – 69 – 383 – 1
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Week 14: vs. New York Jets
Week Fourteen: Seattle Seahawks vs. New York Jets – Game summary
at Kingdome, Seattle
Game information
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First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
- NYJ – Scott Dierking 15-yard run (Pat Leahy kick), 13:19 (NYJ 16–13)
- SEA – Dave Krieg 1-yard run (Wilson Álvarez kick), 1:04 (SEA 20–16)
Fourth quarter
- NYJ – Kevin Long 1-yard pass from Richard Todd (Pat Leahy kick), 9:21 (NYJ 23–20)
- SEA – Steve Largent 57-yard pass from Dave Krieg (Wilson Álvarez kick), 8:21 (SEA 27–23)
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Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
Team – – – –
- NYJ – 276 – 119 – 395 – 3
- SEA – 256 – 127 – 383 – 4
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Week 15: at Denver Broncos
Game information
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First quarter
Second quarter
- SEA – Wilson Álvarez 28-yard field goal, 8:06 (DEN 7–3)
- DEN – Fred Steinfort 33-yard field goal, 0:00 (DEN 10–3)
Third quarter
- DEN – Fred Steinfort 43-yard field goal, 11:28 (DEN 13–3)
- DEN – Fred Steinfort 24-yard field goal, 8:13 (DEN 16–3)
- SEA – Wilson Álvarez 20-yard field goal, 1:58 (DEN 16–6)
Fourth quarter
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Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
Team – – – –
- SEA – 199 – 86 – 285 – 5
- DEN – 136 – 237 – 373 – 3
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Week 16: vs. Cleveland Browns
Week Sixteen: Seattle Seahawks vs. Cleveland Browns – Game summary
at Kingdome, Seattle
Game information
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First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
- SEA – Paul Johns 10-yard pass from Dave Krieg (Wilson Álvarez kick), 8:26 (SEA 35–7)
- SEA – Steve Largent 14-yard pass from Dave Krieg (Wilson Álvarez kick), 7:25 (SEA 42–7)
- CLE – Dave Logan 16-yard pass from Paul McDonald (Matt Bahr kick), 5:36 (SEA 42–14)
Fourth quarter
- CLE – Calvin Hill 8-yard pass from Paul McDonald (Matt Bahr kick), 10:02 (SEA 42–21)
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Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
Team – – – –
- CLE – 301 – 151 – 452 – 10
- SEA – 182 – 110 – 292 – 5
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References
External links
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Franchise | |
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Stadiums | |
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Culture | |
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Lore | |
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Rivalries | |
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Division championships (11) | |
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Conference championships (3) | |
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League championships (1) | |
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Retired numbers | |
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Affiliations | |
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