Filling out the all-time Seattle Seahawks lineup is an interesting task to me. Take the role of ball carrier for instance. Shaun Alexander is the team’s rushing leader for both career and single-season yards. But anyone who remembers the back-to-back Super Bowl run in the 2013 and ’14 seasons will think of Marshawn Lynch as the team’s greatest runner. Alexander has over 9,000 career yards with the team. No one else has reached 7,000.
That’s not the position that interest me the most. It’s fullback.
Mack Strong made number three on the NFL’s list on a video called Top 5 Most Iconic Fullbacks in NFL History. That’s NFL fullbacks, not just Seattle’s. Strong blocked for Alexander. It was that tandem that led the Seahawks to their first Super Bowl appearance at the end of 2005. But there’s another fullback that deserves a look for Seattle’s all-time team. John L. Williams.
Fullbacks Used to Get a Lot of Touches
Williams was the Seahawks first-round pick in 1986, the number 15th selection. He played eight years with Seattle before closing out his career in two seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Whereas Strong was largely a lead blocker, Williams had lots of touches. Though he never rushed for more than 877 yards in a single season, coupled with his receiving yards he had four straight 1,000-yard scrimmage years beginning with 1988. In 1992 Williams had more receiving yards that rushing yards for the first time and it was a trend that he kept up for the remainder of his career.
Just like there’s blocking tight ends and pass-catching tight ends, there are blocking fullbacks and fullbacks that get lots of touches. At least there were. Williams caught 50 passes or more in seven straight seasons. It was a streak that culminated in his first year with the Steelers.
Strong was undrafted in 1993, Williams’ last year with the Seahawks. He didn’t see regular-season action until 1994. His 27 carries in eight games that year held up as his career high until 2003. Strong played through 2007 and never hit 200 rushing yards in a season. Though it should be mentioned that he eclipsed 200 career carries and 200 receptions.
Williams had five career 100-yard rushing games and four 100-yard receiving days — all with Seattle. He came to a Seahawks team that already had a featured back in Curt Warner (with a “C”). Together they led Seattle to a number-five ranking in rushing yards in 1986.
Of course someone might not bother will penciling in a fullback anymore. Last year’s fullback Nick Bellore hasn’t been on the field as a starter since 2019. When he made the Pro Bowl roster in the 2020 season it was as a special-teamer. Unless your the San Francisco 49ers and you have Kyle Juszcyk, NFL teams don’t really have fullbacks anymore.
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