Shaun Alexander feels ‘honored’ with Seahawks Ring of Honor induction

After a legendary career where he set numerous team records, Shaun Alexander will join the Seahawks Ring of Honor this Sunday when Seattle hosts the Arizona Cardinals.

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Alexander will be the 15th member of the team’s Ring of Honor, joining former teammates Walter Jones and Matt Hasselbeck as well as his former head coach Mike Holmgren.

The Seahawks selected Alexander with the 19th pick in the 2000 NFL Draft after a stellar career at Alabama. And after rushing for barely 300 yards as a rookie, Alexander took off in 2001, running for over 1,300 yards and an NFL-leading 14 touchdowns in 2001. That was the first of five straight 1,000-yard seasons for Alexander.

Alexander was a focal point of Seattle’s offense, especially in 2005 when he was named NFL MVP and set a then-NFL record for rushing touchdowns with 27 and scrimmage touchdowns with 28 while rushing for nearly 1,900 yards. He is the only member of the Seahawks to win NFL MVP, and his play helped lead the franchise to its first Super Bowl appearance.

Ahead of his Ring of Honor induction, Alexander joined Seattle Sports 710 AM’s Bump and Stacy on Friday to discuss the honor.

First things first, what was his initial reaction to receiving the news?

“Excitement. Definitely honored,” he said. “You plan to play football and you want to accomplish goals and win games and score touchdowns. And then to retire and have awards come to you and things be given to you like the Ring of Honor, it’s just special.”

Alexander was a bigger back at 5-foot-11 and roughly 230 pounds, and he said that he tried to take “a mixture” of some of his favorite running backs growing up and add their styles to his game. Some of those backs were Tony Dorsett, Emmitt Smith and Marcus Allen.

Alexander’s best two-year stretch was 2004-05, where he ran for over 3,500 yards and rushed for 43 touchdowns. He said that was the best he and the Seahawks’ offense felt during their time together.

“We had just got into a good groove and everyone was fairly healthy for those years. I feel like we came in with the same offensive line and that helps a lot with chemistry,” he said. “And I tell people all the time, that ’05 year was probably the most physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually healthy I was on all levels. So I came into games just really focused. And Matt did a great job … and Mike let us go get it. So all those things happening at the same time, that’s how wonderful seasons like that work for anybody, and I was one of the few that caught that groove.”

Alexander also discussed his time at Alabama, his favorite plays of his career, playing behind Seattle’s elite offensive line and what he’s been up to in retirement. Listen to the full interview at this link or in the player below.

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