The Ten Worst Draft Picks in Seattle Seahawks History
By Ben Renner
2. Dan McGwire
Position: Quarterback
Draft Year: 1991
Pick: 16th (draft capital: 1000)
The Seattle Seahawks had the 16th overall pick in 1991. They needed a quarterback. Two enticing options sat before them: they could grab Dan McGwire out of San Diego State, where he had been named First-Team All-Conference; or they could wait and try to take a chance on some guy named Brett Favre.
Needless to say, the Seahawks chose McGwire. Then-coach Chuck Knox made a case to take Favre instead of McGwire to then-general manager Ken Behring, but Behring didn’t listen. Knox was so upset that he skipped the traditional post-draft presser in 1991. McGwire was a backup to Dave Krieg his rookie year. With a chance to take the starting QB position for himself in 1992, he bungled the preseason and fell to third-string.
The Seahawks drafted Rick Mirer in 1993, apparently giving up on McGwire, but he would have one last shot at redemption after Mirer got hurt that season…and completed 51 of 105 passes for 578 yards and one touchdown in three games, going 1-2. Overall, McGwire started five games and threw two touchdowns to six interceptions. After a year with the Miami Dolphins, McGwire was out of football in 1995.
A bit of McGwire lore: At six feet, eight inches tall, he was the tallest quarterback ever taken in the NFL Draft until the Denver Broncos took 6’8″ Brock Osweiler in the second round of the 2012 Draft. And yes, he is related to MLB slugger and notorious juicer Mark McGwire. Dan and Mark are brothers, if you can believe it. Dan’s daughter Mallory (6’5″) plays basketball for the Oregon Ducks. What a family.
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