The Seahawks move that made Kevin Mawae a center--and now a Pro Football Hall of Famer
Kevin Mawae can partly thank Dennis Erickson for being a Hall of Famer.
The Seahawks’ offensive lineman in the 1990s who went on to continue starring for the New York Jets got the call from the Hall on Saturday, certifying that he is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2019.
He was a third-time finalist and was in his fifth year of Hall-of-Fame eligibility before he became one of eight selected for enshrinement in Canton, Ohio.
The Class of 2019: Mawae, Champ Bailey, Tony Gonzalez, Ty Law, Ed Reed, Johnny Robinson, Pat Bowlen and Gil Brandt.
Former Seahawks All-Pro guard Steve Hutchinson was a finalist in his second year of Hall-of-Fame eligibility but was not selected.
Mawae was the Seahawks’ starting right guard in 1994 for coach Tom Flores as Seattle’s rookie second-round pick, and in ‘95 for new coach Erickson. Erickson moved Mawae to center in training camp before Seattle’s 1996 season, and actually wanted to do it a year before; he tried Mawae some at center in August 1995 to, as The News Tribune story from training camp that month said, “give rookie free agent Donald Willis some time at right guard.”
That eventually became a life-changing career move.
Beginning in ‘96 Mawae started the next nine seasons at that position without missing a game, in ‘96 and ‘97 for the Seahawks and then with the New York Jets into the 2005 season.
He became a three-time All-Pro and eight-time Pro Bowl center, including six consecutive selections to the Pro Bowl all-star game. He opened holes wide enough to produce a 1,000-yard rusher for his team in 13 of his 16 seasons. The 92 games he blocked for a 100-yard rusher are the most for any offensive lineman. He retired following the 2009 season, his fourth with the Titans.
Mawae was selected as the first-team center for the NFL’s all-decade team of the 2000s.
He will become the 10th man who played for the Seahawks enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, at induction ceremonies in Canton, Ohio, this summer.
He’s the second in three years. Safety Kenny Easley from the 1980s was inducted in 2017.
During the final rounds of voting Saturday in Atlanta on the eve of Super Bowl 53 there, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area reported the selection committee had the longest discussions among the modern-era finalists for Ty Law (27:16), Tony Boselli (26:10), Mawae (24:52), Don Coryell (22:37) and Flores (18:54).
The shortest was Ed Reed (2:20).
