2 former Seahawks coaches finalists for Pro Football Hall of Fame

Former Seattle Seahawks head coaches Tom Flores and Mike Holmgren are among the eight coaching finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced the Class of 2020 Centennial Slate Finalists on Thursday, and two former Seattle Seahawks coaches made the cut.

Mike Holmgren and Tom Flores were among the eight coaches named finalists. Only two of those eight will be elected into the Hall of Fame however, and the Blue Ribbon Panel will determine the inductees sometime in January.

Holmgren was an NFL head coach for 17 seasons, seven with the Packers and the final 10 with the Seahawks from 1999 to 2008.

He posted a 161-111 record and coached in 24 playoff games, going 13-11 and appearing in three Super Bowls, winning one with the Packers in 1996 and leading Seattle to their first ever appearance in 2006.

Flores coached in the NFL for 12 seasons, his final three in Seattle. He didn’t have a lot of success in the Emerald City, going just 14-34 from 1992-1994, but he won two Super Bowls while coaching the Raiders in the 1980’s.

14-year head coach Don Coryell is on the ballot as well. While he never worked with the Seahawks, he is a native of Seattle and attended school at the University of Washington.

Flores and Holmgren join three former Seahawks’ players as Hall of Fame eligible this year – Edgerrin James, Steve Hutchinson and Ricky Watters – who are all on the modern era committee list.

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3 former Seahawks among 25 Hall of Fame semifinalists

Former Seattle Seahawks Steve Hutchinson, Ricky Watters and Edgerrin James are among the 25 modern-era semifinalists for the Hall of Fame.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame reduced the list of 122 modern-era nominees to 25 on Tuesday, and three of the eight former Seattle Seahawks remain: guard Steve Hutchinson and running backs Ricky Watters and Edgerrin James.

The original class of 2020 ballot also included quarterback Dave Krieg; running backs Shaun Alexander and Chris Warren; center Ray Donovan; and punter Jeff Feagles.

Hutchinson is the likeliest of the trio to gain Hall of Fame status this winter, having finished as a finalist in each of the past two years. The guard was a seven-time Pro Bowler and five-time All-Pro in his 12-year career.

James only appeared in seven games for the Seahawks in the 2009 season, rushing 46 times for just 125 yards. He is 13th all-time in rushing yards, however, and has a decent chance of hearing his name called this year.

Watters’ success came primarily as a member of the 49ers, but he did post four quality seasons with Seattle from 1998-2001, rushing 994 times for 4,009 yards and four touchdowns.

A Pro Bowler in each of his first five NFL seasons, Watters is 24th all-time in rushing yards and 22nd in rushing touchdowns.

The ballot will be pared down again, this time from 25 to 15, and they will be announced in January. The final ballot with five inductees will be announced the Saturday before the Super Bowl. As part of the Hall’s special 20-member class of 2020, they will be joined by 10 “senior” players (who have been retired for more than 25 seasons), three “contributors” (neither a player nor coach) and two coaches.

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Former Viking Steve Hutchinson among 25 semifinalists for Hall of Fame Class of 2020

Throughout his career, Hutchinson made seven-straight Pro Bowls from 2003-2009 and was named an All-Pro in 2003, 2005 and 2007-09.

Former Vikings guard Steve Hutchinson is one of 25 former players to be named finalists for the Hall of Fame Class of 2020.

Hutchinson spent five seasons with the Seahawks, six with with the Vikings and one with the Titans from 2001-12. Over that time, he made seven-straight Pro Bowls from 2003-2009 and was named an All-Pro in 2003, 2005 and 2007-09.

It feels like there’s a pretty good chance that Hutchinson will get in on his third year on the ballot.

Hutchinson was a huge part of the success of Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander and later Vikings running back Adrian Peterson.