Seattles K.J. Wright (50) tackles Clevelands Dontrell Hilliard (25) during an Oct. 13 game in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)

Seattles K.J. Wright (50) tackles Clevelands Dontrell Hilliard (25) during an Oct. 13 game in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)

Steady, understated Wright among best-ever Seahawks

During Seattle’s win on Monday, K.J. Wright moved into 3rd place on the team’s career tackles list.

  • By Bob Condotta The Seattle Times
  • Thursday, December 5, 2019 9:42pm
  • Sports

By Bob Condotta

The Seattle Times

RENTON — A large wall in a hallway at the Seahawks training facility that leads from the lobby to the indoor practice field and locker room is peppered with photos of glorious moments of the Pete Carroll era.

Basically every key personality since 2010 is featured somewhere along the route, and for most players, the photo captures his signature moment as a Seahawk — Marshawn Lynch during his Beast Quake run, Jermaine Kearse’s catch against the Packers, Richard Sherman’s tip, Kam Chancellor’s 90-yard interception return in the playoffs against Carolina.

The first picture in the hall features linebacker K.J. Wright. It’s not a play anyone would really remember — a tackle in the 2013 divisional playoff game against Washington.

Not that you couldn’t pick more of a highlight play for Wright, such as his interception in last year’s playoff game against Dallas.

But it’s maybe the best fit for Wright, whose greatest strength has always been his understated — and sometimes easy to overlook — consistency handling the most basic requirement of his job.

As Wright says, “a linebacker is supposed to make tackles.”

And that’s what Wright has done during a Seahawks career that began in 2011.

It was equally fitting that Wright, the longest-tenured player on the team, set a couple of tackling milestones Monday night that might have gotten lost in the shuffle of what was another wild Seahawks victory.

During Seattle’s 37-30 win over Minnesota, Wright moved into third in Seahawks history in tackles with 820, passing Keith Butler (who had 813) while also notching the fifth 100-tackle season of his career, good for second in Seahawks history (he had nine Monday night and now has 104 for the season).

His good friend and current teammate Bobby Wagner is first in both categories (eight 100-tackle seasons and 1,029 tackles).

Wright hopes to one day be second in both — Eugene Robinson is currently second in team history in tackles with 984.

“I’m still climbing that ladder,” Wright said Thursday, invoking a phrase appropriate for a player who has earned the nickname “Spiderman” thanks to his 6-foot-4, 246-pound frame and rare 80-inch wingspan. “Aiming for No. 2 to be with Bobby in franchise history. So we’ve still got some work to do.”

Wright, though, admitted he took a moment to soak in the personal achievements once the dust cleared Monday.

“They do, they do,” he said when asked if the numbers and records mean something to him. “I missed it last year (100 tackles) when I was injured, banged up. But to get to 100 is really special.”

Indeed, Wright had no real idea he’d be back with the Seahawks this season when the playoff game in Dallas last year ended.

He was a free agent set to turn 30 and played just five games in 2018 due to a knee injury that required surgery.

But before the first day of free agency passed, Wright agreed on a two-year deal with Seattle paying him up to $14 million in base value. The contract is structured so there is no guaranteed money in 2020 — the team has to pick up an option paying him $1 million on the fifth day of the 2020 league year in March, meaning Seattle will have to make a decision by then. The contract also carries an $8.5 million cap hit next year.

But if those numbers served as a hedge for the team in case Wright couldn’t bounce back in 2019 (as did the drafting of Cody Barton and Ben Burr-Kirven), Wright has played this season like his old self and at this point it’s hard to imagine he wouldn’t be back.

The future, though, is a question for another day. What’s clear is that whenever Wright’s career ends he’ll have left a legacy as one of the most consistent defensive players in team history.

He made a tackle on the second play of his first NFL game in the season opener against the 49ers in 2011 on a day when he actually played middle linebacker instead of the weakside spot he has made his own through most of his career, sandwiched between Aaron Curry and Leroy Hill. His first tackle was a stop on a run of 3 yards by future Hall of Fame running back Frank Gore.

Wright didn’t remember that play when it was brought up this week. But when asked to name a favorite tackle, he pointed to another one from his rookie season, a screen pass to running back Kahlil Bell in a late-season win at Chicago.

“It was a screen play that I read and it was one of the most beautiful tackles that I have ever done,” he said. “Most people don’t remember but it was one of my favorite tackles.”

Asked why, Wright countered: “Go watch it. You’ll see.”

The replay shows Bell catching the ball in the flat and Wright closing quickly to lay him out, leading with his right shoulder to make contact and then using his right arm to bring Bell down for a 4-yard loss. And that, likely, was Wright’s point — the head was nowhere near being involved.

Wright, a fourth-round pick out of Mississippi State, said he learned a whole new way of tackling with the Seahawks, and specifically from former defensive assistant Rocky Seto, who took the lead in teaching players Pete Carroll’s favored rugby-style shoulder tackling techniques.

“The key is, first off you’ve got to be in attack mode,” Wright said of what makes a good tackler. “And then, I’m telling you when we started teaching that leverage shoulder tackling when Seto was here (Seto left following the 2016 season), that stuff was life-changing. Leverage shoulder, keep the guy on your inside hip. That head across body stuff is out. … Players need to stop getting your head across. That’s how you get concussions and miss tackles. It’s just being violent, leverage (your) shoulder and just being on attack mode.”

Or, as defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr., who was Seattle’s linebackers coach when Wright was drafted, says of one of his most prized students: “(It’s) his ability to diagnose plays really fast. He’s a natural in seeing a play and knowing how to defeat it.”

From first day to last, Spiderman is climbing as far up the Seahawks’ record books as NFL fate will allow.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Sports

Cal Raleigh wins 2025 MLB Home Run Derby

Cal Raleigh called his shot years ago. In a childhood video spreading… Continue reading

Portland Fire unveil name, branding as WNBA’s 15th team

A flame is being reignited for Portland’s new WNBA franchise. On Tuesday,… Continue reading

Silvertips forward Shea Busch participates in the Florida Panthers development camp at Baptist Health IcePlex in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on July 1, 2025. Florida selected Busch in the fourth round of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft on June 28. (Photo courtesy Shea Busch)
Shea Busch experiences whirlwind NHL Draft week

The Florida Panthers selected the Silvertips forward in the fourth round on June 28.

Late Mystics surge dooms Storm as stars struggle

Seattle dropped to 13-9 after shooting 36.2% from the field.

Jorge Polanco (7), right, of the Seattle Mariners celebrates his ninth inning home run with J.P. Crawford (3) while playing the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on Sunday, July 13, 2025, in Detroit. (Gregory Shamus / Getty Images / Tribune News Services)
Mariners sweep Tigers on way to All-Star break

The Detroit Tigers still have the best record in baseball,… Continue reading

Mariners select LSU pitcher with No. 3 pick in MLB draft

College baseball’s best pitcher is coming to the Emerald City. The Seattle… Continue reading

Jannik Sinner of Italy celebrates winning championship point against Carlos Alcaraz of Spain during the Gentlemen's Singles Final on day 14 of The Championships Wimbledon 2025 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on Sunday, July 13, 2025, in London. (Julian Finney / Getty Images / Tribune News Services)
Sinner conquers Alcaraz for his first Wimbledon title

The vision of Jannik Sinner covered in sweat and… Continue reading

Rome Odunze scans the field in a scrimmage at his youth football camp at Archbishop Murphy High School on July 10, 2025. The former University of Washington star is entering his second NFL season with the Chicago Bears. (Joe Pohoryles / The Herald)
Odunze ‘gives back’ in Everett youth football camp

The former University of Washington star hosts a single-day camp at Archbishop Murphy on Thursday.

The New York Yankees' Aaron Judge, top right, celebrates with teammates after hitting a walk-off sacrifice fly ball during the 10th inning against the Seattle Mariners at Yankee Stadium on Thursday, July 10, 2025, in New York. (Justin Casterline / Getty Images / Tribune News Services)
Yankees walk off Mariners on Judge’s sac fly for series sweep

Seattle blows 5-0 lead after Bryan Woo takes no-hitter into eighth inning.

Raleigh says Munoz tipped pitches during Yankees’ comeback

The Yankees had a bead on Seattle Mariners closer Andrés Muñoz. That’s… Continue reading

Midfielder Christian Soto dribbles up field during Snohomish United's 5-1 win against the Tacoma Stars at Stockers Fields on July 9, 2025 (Joe Pohoryles / The Herald)
Snohomish United keeps playoff hopes alive in home finale

With 5-1 win against Tacoma, the USL2 club’s focus on local talent keys success in inaugural season.

AquaSox down Devils for consecutive wins

The AquaSox were on a 2-10 stretch coming into the series.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.