Kenny Easley, who grew up in Chesapeake and was nicknamed “The Enforcer” for his hard hitting as an NFL safety, died Friday at age 66, the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced Saturday.
The Hall of Fame, informed of the death by Easley’s family, did not provide a cause.
Easley starred for Oscar Smith High, UCLA and the Seattle Seahawks, for whom he was the 1984 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. The Oscar Smith stadium is named Beard-DeLong-Easley Field, honoring Easley and two other Oscar Smith graduates who played in the NFL: Ed Beard and Steve DeLong.
Easley was an All-American quarterback in high school for the Tigers, running and passing for 1,000 yards in the same season. But with UCLA, he found his niche on defense. He was a three-time consensus All-American for the Bruins and was drafted in the first round in 1981 by the Seahawks with the No. 4 overall pick.
Easley is one of just four players in Seattle franchise history — alongside Steve Largent, Cortez Kennedy and Walter Jones — to spend his entire career with the Seahawks and be named to the Hall of Fame, which he was inducted into in 2017. Easley’s No. 45 was retired by the Seahawks that season.
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Seahawks legend Kenny Easley,” the Seahawks said in a statement. “Kenny embodied what it meant to be a Seahawk through his leadership, toughness, intensity and fearlessness. His intimidating nature and athletic grace made him one of the best players of all time.”
Easley was a five-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro player across his seven seasons for Seattle. His best season was 1984, when Easley led the NFL with 10 interceptions and was named the Associated Press Defensive Player of the Year. He was the first player in franchise history to be named Defensive Player of the Year, doing so for a team that forced a franchise-record 63 turnovers that season.
However, Easley’s departure from the Seahawks was marred by controversy. He was traded after the 1987 season, in part because of a kidney ailment that shortened his NFL career. He was traded to the Cardinals and failed his physical. He never played another down and believed the large doses of painkillers he took as a player led to his kidney issues.
Easley believed the Seahawks knew of the kidney condition and didn’t disclose it to him. The Seahawks and Easley started to reconcile in 2002 when Paul Allen was the team owner, which coincided with Easley getting inducted into the ring of honor that Oct. 14.
Easley finished his career with 32 interceptions, tied for the fourth-most in franchise history, as well as 11 fumble recoveries, nine forced fumbles and eight sacks. After retirement, Easley owned a Cadillac dealership and, from 1999-2003, the Norfolk Nighthawks’ indoor football team along with fellow Hampton Roads football legend Bruce Smith.
Easley is survived by his wife, Gail, and their three children — his son, Kendrick, and daughters Gabrielle and Giordanna.
