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The Best Seahawks Players By Jersey Number: 21-40

Picking the best player to wear every number in Seahawks history.

The best Seahawks players by jersey numbers 21-40.
The best Seahawks players by jersey numbers 21-40.

The Seahawks recently assigned jersey numbers to rookies and other newcomers, which, combined with the fact that we're all stuck at home with nothing else to do, makes this a great time to take a trip down memory lane and determine who is the best player in Seahawks history to wear every number from 1 to 99.

Some choices were really easy, such as Seattle's four numbers retired for the Hall of Fame players who wore them: Steve Largent (80), Walter Jones (71), Cortez Kennedy (96) and Kenny Easley (45). Other numbers were less obvious—while 11 is an iconic number for the neighboring Mariners, no Seahawk past or present has exactly put his stamp on it. And one number, 79, even has a fun familial tie to it.

Is this a particularly original idea? Hardly. But what else do we have to do these days? With that ringing endorsement out of the way, we've come up with the far-from-definitive definitive list of the best Seahawks by number that we'll be putting on Seahawks.com this week. Monday, we started out with Nos. 1-20, and today we look at the best players to wear 21-40. Check back Wednesday for numbers 41-60.

Seahawks.com's John Boyle takes a look at the best player in Seahawks history to wear uniform numbers 21-40.

21: S Paul Moyer

Ken Lucas or Kelly Jennings would also be good picks here, but Moyer gets the slight edge not just for a 1988 season in which he had six interceptions as a 16-game starter, but also for the unique distinction of being a Seahawks player, assistant coach and broadcaster. 

22: CB Dave Brown

A Ring of Honor member, Brown is the easy choice here. Acquired in the expansion draft in 1976, Brown started 159 games for the Seahawks, piling up a franchise-record 50 interceptions.

23: CB Marcus Trufant 

A first-round pick out of WSU, Trufant was one of Seattle's top defensive players during the Mike Holmgren era. In addition to helping the Seahawks reach their first Super Bowl in 2005, Trufant was also a Pro Bowler in 2007 after recording seven interceptions and 15 pass breakups.  

24: RB Marshawn Lynch

Shawn Springs was another talented 24 in Seattle, but Lynch, the man who helped set a physical tone for some of the best teams in franchise history, is the clear choice here. From all-time great touchdown runs to All-Pro seasons to memorable, humorous soundbites, Lynch has truly been one of a kind throughout his career. Side note: between Lynch and Ken Griffey Jr. is there a more iconic number in Seattle sports history?

25: CB Richard Sherman 

Nobody talked a bigger game, then backed it up with outstanding play, quite like Sherman, a fifth-round pick turned All-Pro who was a key part of the best defenses in team history. Sherman also is largely responsible for one of the most important plays in franchise history, the NFC Championship game tip that was intercepted by Malcolm Smith to send the Seahawks to Super Bowl XLVIII.

26: S Ken Hamlin

Kerry Justin or Michael Robinson are also solid options here, and Shaquill Griffin might be the top No. 26 when all is said and done, but for now at least the man known as "The Hammer" gets the nod. A four-year starter in Seattle's secondary, Hamlin was part of teams that went to the postseason four straight times from 2003-2006, winning the NFC West three times while advancing to Super Bowl XL in 2005.

27: S Jordan Babineaux

Willie Williams and Patrick Hunter arguably have stronger overall resumes, but when your nickname is "Big Play Babs," well, you clearly did something right.

28: RB Curt Warner 

Warner, the No. 3 pick in the 1983 draft, had a sensational rookie season, rushing for 1,449 yards and 13 touchdowns, and would recover from a serious knee injury in 1984 to make the Pro Bowl twice more in 1986 and 1987. A member of the Seahawks Ring of Honor, Warner finished his career with 6,705 yards and 55 touchdowns as a Seahawk. 

29: S Earl Thomas

A key member of Seattle's Legion of Boom secondary, Thomas was a six-time Pro Bowler and three-time first-team All-Pro in nine seasons with the Seahawks. Thomas didn't miss a game during his first six seasons as the Seahawks built the best defense in the NFL. 

30: S Bradley McDougald

McDougald has been one of the Seahawks most consistent—and arguably underrated—defensive players over the past three seasons since signing as a free agent in 2017. Over the past two seasons as a full-time starter, McDougald has 148 tackles, five interceptions, four forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.

31: S Kam Chancellor

Leader, tone-setter, playmaker, Chancellor was an instrumental part of Seattle's success up until a 2017 neck injury ended his career prematurely. Chancellor was a four-time Pro-Bowler who amassed 607 tackles, 12 interceptions, nine forced fumbles and 44 passes defensed in his career, but those numbers don't fully illustrate how much he meant to the franchise.

32: FB John L. Williams 

Seattle's fullback for eight seasons, Williams was a two-time Pro-Bowler who rushed for 4,579 yards, had 4,151 receiving yards and scored 33 touchdowns with the Seahawks. Ricky Watters also had a good Seahawks career in No. 32, and Chris Carson has been outstanding since joining the team as a seventh-round pick in 2017, but for now at least, Williams is the obvious choice.

33: S Darryl Williams 

Dan Doornink could just as easily be the pick here, but Williams gets the very slight edge thanks to a Pro-Bowl season in 1997 in which he had 93 tackles and eight interceptions.

34: RB Thomas Rawls

Rawls' Seahawks career was brief, in part due to injuries, but the undrafted rookie got off to a spectacular start before injuring his leg late in his rookie season, rushing for 830 yards, including 391 yards in a three-game stretch after taking over for an injured Lynch. Rawls led qualified rushers that season with a 5.6 yards-per-carry average.

35: RB David Sims

Sims' career ended early in his third season due to injury, but he's the pick here for an outstanding 1978 season in which he led the NFL in rushing touchdowns with 14, finishing just ahead of a couple of players you've probably heard of: Earl Campbell and Walter Payton. DeShawn Shead is also worth a mention here as a player who went from the practice squad to becoming a versatile backup defensive back and special teams standout, to eventually becoming a starter at right cornerback.

36: S Lawyer Milloy

The former University of Washington standout had his best seasons in New England, but he finished his career on a high note with Seattle, starting 16 games at strong safety in 2010 and recording 87 tackles, four sacks and two forced fumbles. Milloy also helped provide veteran leadership on Pete Carroll's first Seahawks team while taking a couple of rookie safeties named Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor under his wing.

37: RB Shaun Alexander

The only league MVP in franchise history, Alexander scored a franchise record 112 touchdowns, rushed for a franchise-record 9,429 yards, and had five 1,000-yard rushing seasons, the most in team history.

38: FB Mack Strong

Fittingly Alexander and Strong are right by each other on this list, because Alexander enjoyed his best seasons running behind Strong, who was a two-time Pro-Bowler from 2005-2006, and a first-team All-Pro in Alexander's 2005 MVP season. Strong also won the team's Steve Largent Award five times, the most in franchise history.

39: CB Brandon Browner

Browner went from the CFL to making the Pro Bowl in his first season with the Seahawks, recording six interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns, in 2011. Browner went on to start 20 more games over the next two seasons before signing with New England in 2014. 

40: FB Derrick Coleman

Plenty of players have worn No. 40 in Seahawks history, though not for long. Coleman, a fullback and special teams standout for three seasons, as well as the first legally deaf offensive player in NFL history, is the only Seahawks player to wear No. 40 for more than two seasons.

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