July 3, 2013

Rookie of the Year: Curt Warner, 1983

Running Back, Seattle Seahawks



Age: 22
College: Penn State
Height: 5’11” Weight: 205

Prelude:
Warner broke 42 school rushing records and was a key player on the 1982 national championship squad as he rushed for 3398 yards at Penn State. The Seahawks took him in the first round of the 1983 NFL draft (third overall) with the expectation that he would add speed and pass receiving ability to the backfield.

1983 Season Summary
Appeared in all 16 games
[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing
Attempts – 335 [3]
Most attempts, game - 32 (for 207 yds.) vs. Kansas City 11/27
Yards – 1449 [3, 1st in AFC]
Most yards, game – 207 yards (on 32 carries) vs. Kansas City 11/27
Average gain – 4.3 [19, tied with Ottis Anderson & Joe Cribbs]
TDs – 13 [4]
200-yard rushing games – 1
100-yard rushing games – 6

Pass Receiving
Receptions – 42      
Most receptions, game – 6 (for 72 yds.) at Kansas City 9/4, (for 49 yds.) at San Diego 10/9, (for 29 yds.) at NY Giants 12/11
Yards – 325
Most yards, game - 72 (on 6 catches) at Kansas City 9/4
Average gain – 7.7
TDs – 1

Scoring
TDs – 14 [3, tied with Roy Green & Pete Johnson, 1st in AFC]
Points – 84

Postseason: 3 G
Rushing attempts – 63
Most rushing attempts, game - 29 at Miami, AFC Divisional playoff
Rushing yards – 238
Most rushing yards, game - 113 at Miami, AFC Divisional playoff
Average gain rushing – 3.8
Rushing TDs – 2

Pass receptions – 10
Most pass receptions, game - 5 at Miami, AFC Divisional playoff
Pass receiving yards - 70
Most pass receiving yards, game - 38 at Miami, AFC Divisional playoff
Average yards per reception – 7.0
Pass Receiving TDs - 0

Awards & Honors:
AFC Rookie of the Year: UPI
2nd team All-NFL: AP
1st team All-AFC: UPI, Pro Football Weekly
Pro Bowl

Seahawks went 9-7 to finish second in the AFC West and qualify for a Wild Card playoff spot. Won AFC Wild Card playoff over Denver Broncos (31-7) and Divisional playoff over Miami Dolphins (27-20). Lost AFC Championship to Los Angeles Raiders (30-14).

Aftermath:
Warner suffered a knee injury in the opening game of the 1984 season that cost him the remainder of the year, and while he came back in ’85 to rush for 1094 yards and catch 47 passes, he wore down noticeably in the second half of the season. In 1986 he regained form as he led the AFC in rushing with 1481 yards and followed up with 985 in the strike-interrupted ’87 season. Warner was selected to the Pro Bowl following both of those seasons. However, he suffered an ankle injury in the 1987 season finale that required surgery and, while he ran for 1025 yards in ’88, was no longer as consistent as in his peak years. Following a 631-yard season in 1989, Warner joined the Rams as a free agent but ran the ball just 49 times for 139 yards in his last year. Overall, he rushed for 6844 yards (6705 with the Seahawks, which made him the franchise career rushing leader at the time) and caught 193 passes for 1467 more yards, scoring a total of 63 touchdowns. Warner was selected to the Pro Bowl on three occasions.

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Rookie of the Year Profiles feature players who were named Rookie of the Year in the NFL, AFL (1960-69), or USFL (1983-85) by a recognized organization (Associated Press – Offense or Defense, Newspaper Enterprise Association, United Press International, The Sporting News, or the league itself – Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year). 

[Updated 11/29/14]

1 comment:

  1. Another classic case of "What If?" I wonder if the Seahawks would have made it to the Super Bowl in 1984. You have to think they just might have given what Chuck Knox did without Warner that year.

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