Can Seahawks become NFL’s next dynasty?
Feb 8, 2014, 2:49 PM | Updated: 3:03 pm
By Evan Seguirant
Special to 710Sports.com
Now that the Seahawks have secured the first Super Bowl championship in franchise history and are the second-youngest team to ever win the big game, experts are discussing whether the Seahawks can emerge as the next NFL dynasty.
“This is the only place I see a real possible dynasty,” NFL Network analyst Michael Irvin said of the Seahawks on 710 ESPN Seattle’s “Wyman, Mike and Moore” Wednesday.
 The Seahawks are attempting to build a dynasty after their first Super Bowl win, but wide receiver Golden Tate, their leading receiver in 2013, will test free agency this offseason. (AP) |
ESPN’s John Clayton also discussed the possibility of a Seattle Seahawks dynasty when he joined 710 ESPN Seattle’s “Brock and Danny.” Clayton defines a dynasty as winning three championships within six seasons, and explains that doing so is nearly impossible in the salary-cap era, which began in 1994. In fact, only the New England Patriots have met Clayton’s criteria during the salary-cap era, winning the Super Bowl in 2001 and then back-to-back championships in 2003 and 2004.
However, Clayton said the Seahawks have constructed the ideal roster to make a run at multiple championships. Having a young, improving quarterback in Russell Wilson on an affordable contract offers two benefits: the contract enables additional spending at luxury positions and Wilson’s progress on the field can offset the loss of some talent in free agency.
The Seahawks are poised to be serious championship contenders for the next few years, but challenges persist. Only two true dynasties have emerged over the last 20 years — Irvin’s Dallas Cowboys of the 1990s and the aforementioned 2000s Patriots. Seattle also resides in the NFL’s toughest division; the NFC West went 30-10 against the rest of the league last year.
Overcoming these challenges will involve making tough choices. The Patriots cut several well-liked players during their run, and Seattle will likely do the same in order to keep their key pieces together.
One of those pieces could be receiver Golden Tate, who said that he would be willing to take a hometown discount to stay with the team. That sentiment reminded Irvin of the Cowboys dynasty that won three Super Bowls between 1992 and 1995.
“When guys say ‘I’ll take a little less money,’ because the truth of the matter is, ‘I want to be a part of history,’ ” Irvin said.
