- Byname of:
- Stephen Michael Largent
- Born:
- September 28, 1954, Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S. (age 72)
- Title / Office:
- House of Representatives (1994-2002), United States
- Awards And Honors:
- Pro Football Hall of Fame (1995)
- Pro Football Hall of Fame (inducted 1995)
- 7 Pro Bowl selections
- 1 All-Pro selection
- 1988 Walter Payton Man of the Year
- Education:
- University of Tulsa
- Height/Weight:
- 5 ft 11 inch, 187 lb (1.80 m, 84 kg)
- Position:
- wide receiver
- Jersey Number:
- 80 (Seattle Seahawks, 1976–1989)
- Draft:
- Drafted by the Houston Oilers in the fourth round (117th overall) of the 1976 NFL draft.
- Games Played:
- 200
- Receptions:
- 819
- Touchdowns:
- 100
- Yards Gained By Passing:
- 13089
- Yards Per Reception:
- 16.0
Steve Largent
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Who is Steve Largent?
Steve Largent, born September 28, 1954, is an American football player widely regarded as one of the greatest wide receivers in NFL history.
Largent played college football at the University of Tulsa and was drafted by the Houston Oilers in 1976, though he was quickly traded to the Seattle Seahawks. Despite not possessing exceptional speed or physical attributes, Largent excelled due to his reliable hands, route-running skills, and determination to gain extra yards after each catch.
During his 14 seasons with the Seahawks, Largent set numerous records, including 819 receptions, 13,089 receiving yards, and 100 touchdowns. He was a seven-time Pro Bowl selection and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1995. After retiring in 1989, Largent served in the U.S. House of Representatives for Oklahoma from 1994 to 2002.
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What position did Steve Largent play in football?
Steve Largent played the position of wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). After being drafted by the Houston Oilers in 1976, he was traded to the Seattle Seahawks before ever playing a game for the Oilers. Largent played for the Seahawks from 1976 to 1989. During his career, Largent was known for his exceptional hands, route-running skills, and ability to gain yards after the catch. He set numerous NFL records and was selected for the Pro Bowl seven times. In 1995, Largent was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
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For which team did Steve Largent play in the NFL?
Steve Largent played for the Seattle Seahawks in the NFL from 1976 to 1989. During his 14 seasons with the Seahawks, Largent caught 819 passes for 13,089 yards and 100 touchdowns. He was selected for the Pro Bowl seven times and inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1995.
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What records did Steve Largent set during his football career?
Steve Largent, a Hall of Fame wide receiver, set several major career records in the NFL. By the time he retired in 1989, he held records for the most:
- Pass receptions (819)
- Receiving yards (13,089)
- Touchdowns (100)
- Consecutive games with a reception (177)
Largent led the NFL in receiving twice, in 1979 and 1985. He was named to the Pro Bowl seven times. His durability was also notable, as he missed only four games due to injury in his first 13 seasons. Although these records have since been broken, Largent's accomplishments set a high standard for wide receivers in the NFL.
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What honors or awards did Steve Largent receive?
Steve Largent, a celebrated American football wide receiver, is recognized for his remarkable NFL career. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1995 and selected for the Pro Bowl seven times. In 1988, Largent received the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award. Throughout his 14 seasons, he set records, including 819 receptions, 13,089 receiving yards, and 100 touchdowns.
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What did Steve Largent do after retiring from football?
After retiring from football in 1989, Steve Largent became a marketing consultant for the Sara Lee Corporation from 1991 to 1994. Following a career of community involvement and expressing interest in politics, Largent successfully ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in 1994, representing Oklahoma's first district.
Largent was reelected three times before he left his office to pursue a bid for the Oklahoma governorship in 2002, which was ultimately unsuccessful. From 2003 to 2014, he served as the CEO and president of a cellular communications lobbying group.
1 Britannica SourceCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Steve Largent (born September 28, 1954, Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S.) is an American gridiron football player who is considered one of the greatest wide receivers of all time. He retired from the sport as the owner of all the major career National Football League (NFL) receiving records.
Although he was a standout high-school football player and all-around athlete, Largent was not heavily recruited by college scouts, so he enrolled at the lesser-known University of Tulsa in his hometown. After graduating in 1976, following one of the most outstanding careers in the history of Tulsa’s football program, Largent was selected by the Houston Oilers in the NFL draft. He never appeared in a Houston uniform, however, as the Oilers dealt him to the Seattle Seahawks in a preseason trade.
Largent had an immediate influence with the Seahawks, catching 54 passes in his rookie season. Although he had always been a good overall athlete, he did not excel physically in any one area. At the professional level, he was never the fastest man on the field, never the best jumper, and never the quickest off the line of scrimmage. What made him a great receiver was his excellent hands, the intelligence and ability to run crisp routes that got him into the open, and the strength to gain extra yards after catching the ball. It was this extra effort that earned him the respect and admiration of opponents and fans alike. Largent’s incredible durability—he missed only four games because of injury in his first 13 seasons—made him an institution at the wide receiver position.
Over the course of his 14 seasons, Largent raised the bar by which other receivers were measured. He caught 70 or more passes six times and caught at least 50 in 10 seasons. He set a record by catching at least one pass in 177 straight games (broken in 1994) and led the NFL in receiving twice (1979 and 1985). He recorded 819 pass receptions for 13,089 total receiving yards and collected 100 receiving touchdowns, all of which were NFL records that have since been broken. Largent was named to the Pro Bowl seven times during the course of his career, and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1995.
Largent retired from football in 1989 after spending his entire career in Seattle. He worked as a marketing consultant for the Sara Lee Corporation from 1991 to 1994 and, after a lifetime of community involvement and interest in politics, decided to run for national office. In 1994 Largent was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Oklahoma’s first district. He was reelected on three occasions before leaving his office to mount an unsuccessful bid for the Oklahoma governorship in 2002. From 2003 to 2014 he was CEO and president of a cellular communications lobbying group.