Former Seahawks Running Back Dan Doornink Dies at 70

He was a key figure in Seattle’s early playoff teams who later spent decades as a physician serving his hometown of Yakima.

Overview

Doornink died on Saturday, October 31, and the Seattle Seahawks confirmed his passing in a team announcement posted the following day.
He played seven seasons for Seattle from 1979 to 1985 after being drafted by the New York Giants in 1978 and traded to the Seahawks before the 1979 season.
Doornink delivered several signature playoff performances for the young franchise, including a long rushing day in the 1984 Wild Card win and a touchdown catch in the team’s AFC Championship game run.
After retiring from the NFL he earned a Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Washington and practiced internal medicine in Yakima for decades, earning the fan nickname “Dr. Dan.”
Coverage and remembrances emphasize his dual legacy as an early Seahawks player who helped shape the team’s culture and as a longtime community doctor whose work affected many patients in the Pacific Northwest.