Kenny Easley is a member of both the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame. / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Kenny Easley, a fearsome safety for UCLA and the Seahawks who left his mark on both teams during a storied career, died Friday. He was 66.
"Kenny embodied what it meant to be a Seahawk through his leadership, toughness, intensity, and fearlessness," Seattle [said in a statement](https://www.seahawks.com/news/seahawks-remember-hall-of-fame-safety-kenny-easley). "His intimidating nature and athletic grace made him one of the best players of all time."
Born in Virginia, Easley crossed the country to play collegiately for UCLA. He immediately established himself as one of the best defenders in college football, and left the Bruins with three All-American selections under his belt. In 1980, he finished ninth in the Heisman voting, becoming the first defensive back to crack the top 10 since Ohio State's Jack Tatum a decade prior.
The Seahawks, looking for an identity in their early years as a franchise, drafted Easley fourth in 1981. The move paid off handsomely: Easley made five Pro Bowls and three All-Pro teams with Seattle, helping the franchise make its first playoff appearances in 1983, 1984 and 1987. In '84, he picked off 10 passes and was named the AP Defensive Player of the Year.
In April 1988, the Seahawks tried to trade Easley to the Cardinals—only for doctors to diagnose him with nephrotic syndrome, a kidney disease, during his physical. He retired after just seven years, but his short career in the league was still enough to get him elected to the Hall of Fame in 2017.
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