Steve Hutchinson

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Hutchinson spent his first five NFL seasons with the Seattle Seahawks after being drafted in the first round of the 2001 NFL draft. During his time in Seattle, he was a key lineman who blocked for Shaun Alexander in his 2005 MVP season. The team reached Super Bowl XL, where they lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers 21–10. In March 2006, Hutchinson, a free agent, was designated as Seattle's transition player. Following the opening of free agency, he signed a controversial offer sheet from the Minnesota Vikings for $49 million over seven years, which contained a poison pill provision. Because the Seahawks had recently given tackle Walter Jones a contract richer than the one offered to Hutchinson, matching the offer would have triggered the poison pill clause and forced them to immediately guarantee Hutchinson's entire salary, which would have destroyed their salary cap. As a result, they could not match the offer, and Seattle received no compensation from Minnesota.

In Their Own Story

In March 2006, Steve Hutchinson was a free agent designated as Seattle's transition player. The Minnesota Vikings signed him to an offer sheet worth $49 million over seven years, believed to be the richest contract ever offered a guard at the time. The offer sheet contained a poison pill provision that would have guaranteed his entire salary if he was not the highest-paid lineman on the team. The Seahawks had recently given tackle Walter Jones a contract richer than the one offered to Hutchinson, so matching the offer would have triggered the poison pill clause immediately, forcing Seattle to guarantee Hutchinson's entire salary and destroying their salary cap. They could not match the offer. Since Seattle used their transition tag rather than naming Hutchinson a franchise player, they received no compensation from Minnesota. Seattle retaliated by signing Minnesota wide receiver Nate Burleson to an offer sheet containing a similar ploy, and the NFL subsequently banned the use of poison pills.

Reader's Guide

Steve Hutchinson played for the Seattle Seahawks from 2001 to 2005, his first five NFL seasons. He was drafted in the first round of the 2001 NFL draft and played guard. While with the Seahawks, Hutchinson made 3 Pro Bowls and earned 3 All-Pro honors. He was a key lineman who blocked for Shaun Alexander in his 2005 MVP season. The Seahawks appeared in Super Bowl XL, where they lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers 21–10. This was his final game as a member of the Seattle Seahawks. In March 2006, he was designated as Seattle's transition player before signing an offer sheet with the Minnesota Vikings. During the first 11 years of his NFL career, Hutchinson started in all 157 games that he had played in. He was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on February 1, 2020. Later that year he would be employed by the Seahawks as a consultant.

Did You Know?

• Hutchinson was a unanimous All-American at Michigan and did not allow a sack during his final two seasons as a Wolverine.
• He was a two-year team captain and four-year All-Big Ten selection at Michigan.
• The offer sheet Hutchinson signed with the Vikings contained a poison pill provision that forced the Seahawks to let him go without compensation.
• Hutchinson played 59 straight games while with the Vikings, not missing a start.
• Later in 2020 after his Hall of Fame induction, he was employed by the Seahawks as a consultant.