‘Boogie’ time

Published on April 8, 2011 by Seahawks.Com News (Feed)     

The readers of Seahawks.com have done something no opponent or even scheme shift was able to do: Break up the “DieHards.”

From midway through the 1983 season until the end of the 1989 season, the Seahawks’ first line of defense was the trio comprised of left end Jacob Green, nose tackle Joe Nash and right end Jeff Bryant – aka “Boogie.”

These three, who went by the collective nickname “DieHards” because they always started, combined to miss only 21 of a possible 100 starts during that 6½-season span – 10 by Nash, nine by Bryant and two by Green. They made every start possible in unison four times.

But when the 35th Anniversary team was selected, Green and Nash were overwhelming choices, while Bryant just missed.

Not having Bryant with them made it a somewhat bittersweet honor.

“I would be inclined to say that Jeff should have been on it,” Green offered. “Jeff helped make Joe and me the players we were.”

Bryant finished third in the balloting at end with 1,050 votes – behind Green (3,990) and Michael Sinclair (1,939).

“Jeff could have been anything, though,” Nash countered. “He could have been a defensive end, defensive tackle. He played everything but nose tackle.”

And Bryant even filled in there on occasion when Nash was injured. Bryant, in fact, is the only player in franchise history to start at all four spots on the D-line. He was the right end from his rookie season in 1982 until 1990, when the Seahawks drafted Cortez Kennedy and shifted to a 4-3 defense. But Bryant started 14 games that season at the right tackle spot Kennedy eventually would own. In 1991, Bryant replaced Nash as the left tackle. In 1992, Bryant moved to left end to replace Green.

Bryant ranks third in club history in sacks (63), behind Green and Sinclair. He is sixth in tackles (689), with Nash (778) and Green (718) the only linemen ahead of him on the all-time list.

“Talk about a versatile player,” Nash said.

Tags: 35th Anniversary, Anniversary Team, Boogie Time, Club History, D Line, Diehards, Franchise History, Jacob Green, Jeff Bryant, Joe Nash, Linemen, Michael Sinclair, Midway, Opponent, Overwhelming Choices, Rookie Season, Sacks, tackles, Unison, Versatile Player