Getty Seahawks WR DK Metcalf
The Seattle Seahawks have had some great wide receivers throughout their history. Players like Brian Blades, Doug Baldwin, and Tyler Lockett were all among the best pass-catchers of their eras, and Steve Largent stands out as one of the greatest WRs of all time. Now you can add DK Metcalf to that list as the fifth-year Seahawks wideout just became the seventh player in Seattle history to record back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving seasons.
DK Metcalf Has Had an Underrated 2023 NFL Season
DK Metcalf now joins Steve Largent, Brian Blades, Joey Galloway, Derrell Jackson, Doug Baldwin, and Tyler Lockett as the only Seahawks receivers to put up consecutive 1,000-yard seasons.
In the Seahawks’ Week 17 30-23 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Metcalf grabbed 5 balls for 105 yards, which gave him 1,104 receiving yards in 2023 with a game left to play. He came into the game at 999 yards, and on the first play of the second quarter, the wideout caught a 33-yard bomb from Geno Smith to set up his team’s first touchdown of the game.
Heading into Week 18, Metcalf’s 1,104 yards put him 14th in the NFL this season and make him, by far, the leading pass-catcher in Seattle. The next-closest teammate is Lockett at 823 yards.
The Ole Miss product was also the team’s leading receiver last season, edging out Lockett 1,048 yards to 1,043.
While he is statistically a top-15 NFL pass-catcher, Metcalf is rarely mentioned in the same breath as some of the players just ahead of him on the list like Ja’Marr Chase, Mike Evans, or Keenan Allen. And there are several players behind him who get a lot more shine, too, like Davante Adams, Stefon Diggs, and DeVonta Smith.
Some of this is likely due to Seattle’s place in the NFL media being under-covered due to its Pacific Northwest locations. And some is likely Metcalf’s own doing, as he is often more in the news for his on-field behavior than his performance.
Whatever the case, Metcalf is now officially among the best Seahawks wide receivers to ever suit up for the franchise.
The Other Consecutive 1,000-yard WRs in Seahawks History
Only six players have produced back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in Seahawks history. The first was Hall of Famer Steve Largent, who did it in more than just two seasons. The seven-time Pro Bowler posted 1,000-plus yards four times, from 1978-81, and then four more times from 1983-86.
That’s why he owns a gold jacket.
While the other Seahawks wide receivers on this list aren’t in Canton, and likely never will be, they are still an impressive group.
Brian Blades posted these numbers four times in his 11-year Seattle career but only went back-to-back in 1994-95. Joey Galloway posted 1,039 yards as a rookie out of Ohio State in 1995, but it was in years three and four (1997-98) when he did it twice in a row.
Darrell Jackson is the most surprising name on this list, as Shaun Alexander’s rushing exploits overshadowed his accomplishments in the early 2000s. However, the former Florida Gators WR went for 1,000 three times, including putting up 1,100-plus in 2003-04.
Finally, two recent Seahawks players have also accomplished this feat. Doug Baldwin produced 1,069 and 1,128 yards in 2015-16, while DK Metcalf’s current teammate, Tyler Lockett, put up 1,000-plus in four straight seasons from 2019-22.
With just one regular season contest left to play, Lockett needs 177 yards in Week 18 against the Arizona Cardinals to keep his streak alive.