Is anyone else getting déjà vu right now?
On Tuesday, former Seattle Seahawks coaches Mike Holmgren and Chuck Knox were nominated as coaching finalists for enshrinement into football immortality. The Pro
Football Hall of Fame Coach Blue Ribbon Committee will meet in November to vote on one finalist from a group of 12 coaches. From there, the committee will evaluate the candidacy of their chosen finalist, and if said finalist is chosen to move forward, they will be inducted into Canton in August.
In addition to Holmgren and Knox, this year’s selection of coaches consists of Bill Arnsparger, Bill Belichick, Tom Coughlin, Alex Gibbs, Buddy Parker, Dan Reeves, Marty Schottenheimer, George Seifert, Mike Shanahan, and Clark Shaughnessy.
Prior to coming to Seattle, Holmgren was the head coach of the Green Bay Packers from 1992 to 1998. While with Green Bay, Holmgren coached Hall of Famers like Brett Favre and Reggie White, winning Super Bowl XXXI with the team in the 1996 season. Holmgren went 75-37 in seven seasons with the Packers, with his teams winning at least nine games every year.
Holmgren arrived in the Emerald City in 1999, guiding the Seahawks to their first AFC West division title in 11 years in his first season with the team. Following Seattle’s move to the NFC in 2002, Holmgren got the Seahawks to the postseason every year from 2003 to 2007, winning four consecutive NFC West division titles along the way.
In 2005, Seattle climbed to the top of the NFC with a 13-3 showing, thanks in large part due to an MVP season from running back Shaun Alexander. The Seahawks reached Super Bowl XL, losing 21-10 to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Holmgren continued coaching in Seattle through the 2008 season, joining the Seahawks Ring of Honor in 2021. He finished with a record of 86-74 over 10 seasons in Seattle. It looked like he’d make the 2025 HOF class, but he was denied once again as the classes may be getting smaller moving forward.
Likewise, Chuck Knox had an admirable coaching run before joining the Seahawks, guiding the Los Angeles Rams and Buffalo Bills to the playoffs throughout the 1970s and early ‘80s. Knox arrived in Seattle in 1983, helping the Seahawks to just their third winning season and a surprise run to the AFC Championship Game in year one. Seattle reached the playoffs four times under Knox between 1983 and 1988, claiming the AFC West division crown in ‘88.
A three-time AP Coach of the Year Award winner, Knox became the first coach to be inducted into the Seahawks Ring of Honor in 2005. Knox retired with a career record of 186-147-1, including a mark of 80-63 with Seattle. At the time of his retirement, Knox was sixth in all-time wins by an NFL head coach. If he is selected, Knox would be inducted posthumously, as he passed away in 2018 at the age of 86.
It may seem unlikely given Belichick’s inclusion this year, but will one of Holmgren or Knox be named as the coaching finalist for the 2026 Hall of Fame class?
