Don Dufek - Seattle Seahawks

Seattle Seahawks

Dufek was drafted by the Seahawks with the second selection of fifth round and 126th overall selection of the 1976 NFL Draft. Dufek was one of the original Seahawks in 1976, the franchise's first year in the NFL, and he played for them until 1984. He was the captain of the Seahawks' special teams units in 1981 and 1982. During both of these seasons he was co-captain along with eventual Pro Football Hall of Famer and four-term representative in United States House of Representatives, Steve Largent, the captain of the offensive unit and Keith Simpson, captain of the defensive unit. Over the course of his career he had three interceptions, two quarterback sacks, a fumble recovery and thirteen kickoff returns. Sportswriter Richard Kucner once wrote: "Don Dufek was the kind of guy who just won't take 'No' for an answer. He was released in training camp four times during his eight-year Seahawks career. But each time, Seattle had a change of heart, bringing him back. Today, he is remembered as one of the best special teams performers the team has had."

After numerous seasons under Jack Patera from 1976-1982 and interim coach Mike McCormack in 1982, the Seahawks finally reached the playoffs in Dufek's final two seasons under Chuck Knox. During the 1983 NFL season, the Seahawks went 9-7 and reached the AFC Championship Game where they lost to the Oakland Raiders. Then, during the 1984 NFL season, the Seahawks went 12-4 and failed to reach the Conference Championships during the 1984-85 Playoffs.

Dufek was interviewed by the Ann Arbor News in 2006 about life in Seattle. He said: "It's a bigger version of Ann Arbor. It's overcast, and it's green and clean." And there's the coffee. "It's really comical," says Dufek of all the coffee stops in Seattle. "Even the gas stations have coffee bars."