5 Records to Show How Great Shaun Alexander Was

Shaun Alexander was drafted 19th overall in the first round of the 2000 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks out of the University of Alabama. The 5’11”, 225lb power back entered the league coming off of a dominant college career where he led the NCAA in total touchdowns his Senior season with 23, earning him First-Team All-America honors. The NFL’s eighth all-time rushing TD leader served mainly as a backup initially, but he took full advantage of his opportunity in 2001.

The Kentucky native became the full-time starter in 2001 for the Seahawks, where he quickly became a defense’s worst nightmare. Alexander’s combination of brute power, elite change of direction, and breakaway speed left Linebackers piling up as he found the endzone a league-leading 14 times carrying the rock for Seattle in his Sophomore campaign. The former Alabama standout also rushed for 1,318 yards in ’01, beginning a historic streak of five straight seasons with 1,000+ RUSH YDS which is still unprecedented in Seattle for others.

The 3x Pro Bowler averaged 15 RUSH TD per year from 2001-2004, solidifying himself as a top-tier RB in the NFL, but it wasn’t until 2005 when Alexander took the league by storm. He rushed for a whopping 1,880 yards and tied the single-season RUSH TD record with 27, set by Priest Holmes two years earlier. This historic campaign earned him 2005 NFL MVP and OPOY honors. Following his spectacular 2005, #37’s production dropped dramatically, dealing with injuries and a depleted Seahawks O-line, and was never able to return to his early 2000s form.

Here are some of the greatest records to know about Shaun Alexander: