Big hitter, Seahawks legend: Kenny Easley, 1959-2025

Pro Football Hall of Famer KENNY EASLEY, one of the most tenacious, hard-hitting defensive backs in National Football League history, died Friday night, his family told the Hall of Fame.

A seven-year NFL veteran who played exclusively with the Seattle Seahawks, Easley was 66. He long had battled health issues, which also contributed to his playing career ending after only 89 games.

“Kenny always gave his all and held the game and his life at the highest standard,” his wife, Gail, told the Hall of Fame on Saturday. 

Easley was enshrined in Canton with the Class of 2017 after a 25-year wait.

“Kenny Easley would have been a dominant safety in any era. When he was enshrined in 2017, he took his rightful place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and embraced his football immortality,” said Jim Porter, president & CEO of the Hall. “Kenny possessed excellent ball skills, but make no mistake: His biggest strengths were his fearlessness and intensity. If you had the ball as an opposing offensive player, he was going to hit you hard — and you were going to feel it for a while.”

Kenneth Mason Easley Jr. was born in Chesapeake, Va., on Jan. 15, 1959. He attended Oscar F. Smith High School in Chesapeake and graduated from UCLA in 1980 with a degree in political science.

Easley’s high school coach, Tommy Rhodes, described him as a “game changer.”

“When the game started, I told Kenny, ‘I’ll see you at halftime,’ because he kicked off, played quarterback, he kicked the extra points, he kickoff returned, he punted, he punt returned and he played defensive back.” Rhodes said. “He didn’t come off the field unless it was halftime or the end of the game.”

Rhodes noted Easley’s strongest desire: to play defensive back.

“He wanted to hit people. He’s gonna get there, and he’s gonna get there in a hurry and he’s gonna get there in a bad mood,” the coach said. “He was going to hit people hard, he’s going to cause fumbles, he gonna intercept balls … He’s gonna be around the ball.”



Easley’s versatility shined brightest during his senior season at Smith High School when he passed and ran for 1,000 yards each.

While a member of the UCLA football program, Easley affixed a decal to his helmet that read “F5” — a reference to the highest number in the tornado intensity rating system at the time. He wanted to be known as the most forceful storm and took the numeral 5 as his jersey number.

“If you’re not going to be the biggest force on the field today, don’t put that helmet on,” Easley said. Not surprisingly, he was nicknamed “The Enforcer.” 

Easley’s play at UCLA earned him all-conference recognition all four seasons — a first in Pac-10 history – and selection as a three-time All-American. In 1991, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

A multi-sport athlete, Easley also played junior varsity basketball for the Bruins. Easley’s abilities on the hardwood resulted in the Chicago Bulls drafting him in the 10th round of the 1981 NBA Draft. 

During that same draft year, the Seattle Seahawks utilized their first-round selection to select Easley fourth overall in a draft class that also included future Hall of Famers and defensive stalwarts LAWRENCE TAYLOR, RONNIE LOTT, MIKE SINGLETARY, HOWIE LONG and RICKEY JACKSON in the top 51 picks. 

“As a tackler, he combines sure instincts and athletic ability with a willingness to level crunching, punishing hits — traits not ordinarily combined in one player,” a scout noted.

Hall of Fame receiver STEVE LARGENT recalled Easley’s presence during a tribute video to the defensive back.

Impact combined with intimidation

“Great player when he showed up at Seahawks training facility,” Largent said. “I remember running routes against him the first day he showed up. It was just clear that he was a player, and you knew it. He was such a physical specimen out on the field and was a real intimidating factor for our defense.”

Easley combined impact with that intimidation.

“Kenny Easley puts the ‘impact’ in ‘Impact Player.’ Every coach would love to have him,” wrote David Whitford in “Sport” magazine. “No opponent wants any part of him.”

The same “Sport” magazine article declared, “By consensus of the Seattle coaching staff, Easley is the most intense practice player on the team. He keeps a notebook on his own performances, recording the mistakes he thinks he makes.”

The article continued: “The rest of the NFL, of course, sees fewer flaws. Every team is looking for a Kenny Easley of its own. ‘Yah, we’re looking,’ says Dick Steinberger, personnel director at New England, ‘but we don’t find him too often.’ ”

The results from Easley’s preparation and athletic ability included several accolades: 1981 AFC Defensive Rookie of the Year and 1981 All-Rookie Team, 1984 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, three first-team All-Pro seasons, five Pro Bowls and a place on the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 1980s.

Easley intercepted at least two passes each season — a league-high 10 in his DPOY season — and 32 overall. 

Teammates and opponents marveld most, however, at his tenacity and ability to land the hard hit.

“If you don’t handle him, you’re in for a long afternoon,” said Dan Reeves, at that time head coach of the Denver Broncos, a division rival.

Hall of Fame cornerback and then defensive backfield coach WILLIE BROWN of the Raiders added, “Kenny Easley has speed, tenacity and size. No doubt about it, he is the best strong safety in football.”

Easley’s own defensive backfield coach Ralph Hawkins once stated, “I don’t think anybody has been tougher at strong safety. Kenny’s big. He’s like Mike Tyson. He’ll knock you out.”

Easley himself declared, “You can’t teach somebody to be a hitter. It’s a matter of desire and wanting to. I wanted to make every single tackle whenever the ball was snapped.”

The ability to deliver the big hit while providing superior defensive coverage were hallmarks of Easley’s career.

“There are some guys who can hit and not cover, and some guys who can cover and want nothing to do with the contact,” said Hall of Fame tight end KELLEN WINSLOW. “Kenny was a guy who could do both, and that is what made him so great.”

'Downright ferocity'

Seattle teammate Eugene Robinson described the standard Easley set.

“The Bismarck of strong safety or free safety. His hands, feet, anticipation and just downright ferocity,” he said.

John Yarno, Seattle Seahawks center, declared Easley was “the greatest athlete I ever played with.”

Chuck Knox, Seahawks head coach, stated, “He’s incredible. He’s got great agility, quickness, hands, size and attitude. He can make plays nobody else can make.”

In 1984, Easley and his defensive teammates made plays no one else has replicated. 

In a Week 10 game against division-rival Kansas City, Dave Brown, Easley and Keith Simpson combined for four interceptions returned for touchdowns. The effort is still recognized in the NFL record book as “Most touchdowns returning interceptions, game.”

Each of those “pick-six” plays exceeded 50 yards. Their combined return yardage — 325 yards — also is listed as a record.

Seattle guard Reggie McKenzie reviewed Easley’s on and off-field abilities saying, “He’s one of the most vicious tacklers ever. Kenny Easley is a class act. He graduated from college, he’s articulate, he doesn’t dissipate, he’s a home-run hitter.”

Easley’s agent Leigh Steinberg agreed with McKenzie.

“He is one of the brightest athletes I’ve ever worked with.” Steinberg said. “He has a keen, inquisitive mind. He would make a very astute businessman. He is clearly in control of his destiny.”

As motivation to symbolize tenacity and strength, Easley attached a small piece of leather to his facemask.

“Leather is strong under all circumstances,” explained Easley. “My leather piece was an instant reminder of its toughness. When it was in the fourth quarter…and you’re dead tired, all I had to do was reach up, and pull on that leather piece to remind myself, I could go longer and harder and tougher than anyone else. I was strong as leather.”

In 1998, Easley was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame, and in 2017, with high school coach Tommy Rhodes serving as his presenter, he was enshrined the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, where his legacy will be preserved forever.