Legendary Hall of Fame Reporter

John Clayton

John Clayton was a longtime NFL insider and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame best known for his tenure with ESPN. He hosted The John Clayton Show from 8-11 a.m. on Seattle Sports each Saturday, and was a sideline reporter on Seahawks Radio Network game broadcasts. John passed away in March 2022, and is survived by his wife Patricia.

JOHN CLAYTON | May 6, 2017
Clayton: Why Pete Carroll says the Seahawks have assembled the ‘most competitive team we’ve had’

The Seahawks have always valued in-house competition, but with 11 draft picks and 10 veterans added on one-year deals, Pete Carroll says his team has taken it up a notch.
JOHN CLAYTON | May 4, 2017
Clayton: Justin Forsett’s Seahawks legacy is helping Marshawn Lynch become Beast Mode

Justin Forsett, the former Seahawks running back who retired this week from the NFL, played a big role in Marshawn Lynch finding success in Seattle, writes John Clayton.
JOHN CLAYTON | May 1, 2017
Clayton’s draft thoughts: Seahawks got younger, more versatile up front

John Clayton shares his takeaways from the Seahawks' 2017 draft, writing that versatility was a theme with the 11 players Seattle chose.
JOHN CLAYTON | Apr 26, 2017
Clayton’s Seahawks draft thoughts: Don’t rule out a LB in the first round

John Clayton shares a handful of Seahawks draft thoughts, including the possibility of a linebacker in the first round and expected compensation in a Marshawn Lynch trade.
JOHN CLAYTON | Apr 22, 2017
Clayton: How Seahawks’ schedule gives them the edge over Cardinals to win the NFC West in 2017

In his latest column, John Clayton breaks down how four ways the Seahawks got a break in their schedule compared to their chief NFC West rivals, the Arizona Cardinals.
JOHN CLAYTON | Apr 20, 2017
Clayton: Seahawks’ top remaining needs heading into the draft

With the first round of the NFL draft a week away, John Clayton looks at the positions the Seahawks are most likely to target based on their roster needs.
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS | Apr 14, 2017
Clayton: Thoughts on the Seahawks’ situations with Marshawn Lynch, Richard Sherman and more

John Clayton doesn't think the Seahawks will end up trading Richard Sherman. He weighs in on that situation, the one involving Marshawn Lynch and more in his latest column.
JOHN CLAYTON | Apr 12, 2017
Clayton: Dion Jordan’s athleticism makes him an intriguing addition to the Seahawks

The Seahawks should find out soon if Dion Jordan is committed and still has the athleticism that made him the No. 3 overall pick. If so, he could be an intriguing addition to their defense, writes John Clayton.
JOHN CLAYTON | Apr 7, 2017
Clayton: What is Marshawn Lynch looking for to return to the NFL?

John Clayton writes that while Marshawn Lynch clearly knows the value of a dollar, rumors of him coming out of retirement coincide with a weak market for running back's salaries.
JOHN CLAYTON | Apr 6, 2017
Clayton: While the talks are real, trading Richard Sherman wouldn’t be easy for the Seahawks

Seahawks GM John Schneider told "Brock and Salk" that the Richard Sherman trade talks are real. But a trade involving Seattle's Pro Bowl cornerback would be difficult, writes John Clayton.
JOHN CLAYTON | Mar 31, 2017
Clayton: What we learned about the Seahawks at the owners’ meeting

John Clayton shares his takeaways from the owners' meetings, including his thoughts on the Richard Sherman situation and how the Seahawks view Bradley McDougald.
JOHN CLAYTON | Mar 29, 2017
Clayton: Trevone Boykin’s arrest will push Seahawks into the QB market

The Seahawks may have planned on signing a veteran backup quarterback anyway, but Trevone Boykin’s latest ill-timed incident guarantees it, writes John Clayton.
JOHN CLAYTON | Mar 24, 2017
Clayton: Seahawks’ winners and losers from the first two weeks of free agency

No one expected the Seahawks to be this active in free agency. A team that believes in building…
JOHN CLAYTON | Mar 22, 2017
Clayton: Marshawn Lynch has everyone guessing, but NFL return wouldn’t be easy for Beast Mode

The thought of Marshawn Lynch returning to the NFL, most likely with the Oakland Raiders, is definitely real, but a lot of things need to be figured out before anything could happen.
JOHN CLAYTON | Mar 17, 2017
Clayton: After adding to offense in first phase of free agency, focus for Seahawks shifts to defense

What is next for the Seahawks in free agency after signing Eddie Lacy and Luke Joeckel? John Clayton maps out the areas of interest left for Seattle.
JOHN CLAYTON | Mar 15, 2017
Clayton: With Eddie Lacy, Seahawks looking to revive power run game

Eddie Lacy may not have been the best running back on the free agent market, but he was…
JOHN CLAYTON | Mar 13, 2017
Clayton: Thoughts on Joeckel, Lang, Shead and the Seahawks as the first wave of free agency winds down

With the first wave of free agency concluding, John Clayton looks at the Seahawks' signing of Luke Joeckel, their bid for T.J. Lang and their decision to not tender DeShawn Shead.
JOHN CLAYTON | Mar 8, 2017
Clayton: With a deep secondary class, Seahawks could add some Huskies in NFL Draft

The Seahawks picked the right year to need to add secondary depth through the draft, and that could mean UW stars like Budda Baker or Kevin King could end up staying in Seattle.
JOHN CLAYTON | Mar 6, 2017
Clayton: Five things we learned about the Seahawks at the combine

John Clayton shares five Seahawks takeaways from the scouting combine, including his thoughts about Seattle adding an offensive lineman or two in free agency.
JOHN CLAYTON | Mar 2, 2017
Clayton: 10 players the Seahawks should watch at the combine

This year's draft is deep at positions that align with some of the Seahawks' needs. Here are 10 players they might want to pay close attention to at the scouting combine.
JOHN CLAYTON | Feb 24, 2017
Clayton on five possible Seahawks moves: No sense in spending big on Adrian Peterson, Jamaal Charles

John Clayton writes about the possibility of the Seahawks going after Adrian Peterson or Jamaal Charles in free agency, contending that it would only make sense at a significantly reduced price.
JOHN CLAYTON | Feb 22, 2017
Clayton: Seahawks should get two compensatory picks, have seven choices total in 2017 draft

Now that the NFL has decided to not dock the Seahawks a draft pick over the Richard Sherman situation, John Clayton takes stock of the selections Seattle is expected to have.
JOHN CLAYTON | Feb 17, 2017
John Clayton: Seahawks suddenly have several LT options to consider

As of Tuesday, there weren't many veteran options available for the Seahawks to bolster their offensive line. But several left tackles have suddenly popped into view.
JOHN CLAYTON | Feb 15, 2017
Clayton: Thoughts on the Seahawks not being punished by the NFL, Blair Walsh’s contract and more

John Clayton weighs in on four recent Seahawks developments: the NFL not punishing the team over the Richard Sherman situation, Cliff Avril's surgery, Blair Walsh's contract and the three changes to their coaching staff.