Dave Krieg

David Michael Krieg (born October 20, 1958) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL).

He attended Milton College in his home state of Wisconsin and made the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent.

Given the opportunity to play in the fourth game of his freshman season (1976), he completed four passes—three of them for touchdowns—and continued to play well enough to start for the rest of his college career.

He and Dave Kraayeveld (who also played for the Seahawks) are the only NFL players to have attended Milton College.

In 19 seasons, Krieg played in 213 games, completed 58.5 percent of his passes (3,105 of 5,311) for 38,147 passing yards, 261 touchdowns, 199 interceptions and an 81.5 rating.

He also had 417 rushing attempts for 1,261 yards and 13 touchdowns and 3 pass receptions for 10 yards.

His regular season career win–loss record is 98–77.

Dave Krieg played in 12 postseason games (9 as a starter), and completed 51.1 percent of his passes (144 for 282) for 1,895 passing yards, 11 touchdowns, 10 interceptions and a 70.86 rating.

He also had 17 rushing attempts for 20 yards and 1 touchdown.

In his 19-year NFL career, Krieg played for the Seahawks (1980–1991), Kansas City Chiefs (1992–1993), Detroit Lions (1994), Arizona Cardinals (1995), Chicago Bears (1996), and Tennessee Oilers (1997–1998).

At Milton, a now-defunct small private college in Milton, Wisconsin, Krieg began as the 7th-string quarterback for his school's NAIA team, the Wildcats.

Undrafted in 1980, Krieg tried out for the Seahawks and caught on as a third-string quarterback.

He saw the field only once, taking a few snaps with two incompletions in the final game in 1980, the Seahawks' ninth straight loss in a disappointing 4–12 season in which they lost all eight home games.

By the middle of the 1981 season, Krieg overtook Sam Adkins on the depth chart to become the Seahawks' second-string quarterback.

When injuries sidelined Jim Zorn late in the season, Krieg started the last three games and played well, helping the team record two of its six wins that year.

In his first NFL start against the New York Jets on December 6, Krieg ran for one touchdown and threw for two others, including a 57-yard game-winning completion to Steve Largent.

Krieg began the strike-shortened 1982 season as the Seahawks' starting quarterback and played respectably until a thumb injury sidelined him for several weeks.

Zorn reclaimed his former role, but played inconsistently.

When Zorn continued to struggle in the final game of the season, Coach Mike McCormack inserted Krieg, who rallied Seattle to a victory over the Denver Broncos.

Returning to the bench at the outset of the 1983 campaign, Krieg remained there until Zorn's performance faltered in midseason.

At that point, head coach Chuck Knox named Krieg the Seahawks' new starting quarterback.

The Milton product's consistent play complemented the considerable talents of All-Pro wide receiver Steve Largent and Pro Bowl running back Curt Warner, allowing the Seahawks to make the playoffs for the first time in the team's eighth season.

Krieg played brilliantly in the wild card round of the playoffs, helping his team rout Steve DeBerg and the Broncos in the Kingdome.

The next week, Krieg's steady performance helped the Seahawks upset Dan Marino and the Miami Dolphins on the road.

However, Krieg and Seahawks offense were overwhelmed by the aggressive defense of the L.A. Raiders in the American Football Conference Championship Game.

Knox replaced Krieg with Jim Zorn to finish out the game as the visiting Seahawks lost to the Raiders, who went on to win Super Bowl XVIII.

Despite a prodigious effort by Mike McCormack to recruit Warren Moon to join the QB ranks in Seattle, Krieg resumed his starting role 1984 after Moon declined Seattle's offer and chose to play for the Houston Oilers instead.

In the year's first game, a knee injury sidelined the Seahawks' star running back Curt Warner for the rest of the season, forcing Coach Knox to discard his run-oriented "Ground Chuck" offense and adopt a new, more pass-intensive philosophy "Air Knox."

Rising to the occasion, Krieg threw for 3,671 yards and 32 touchdowns, leading his team to a 12–4 record and another wild card playoff appearance.

In recognition of this impressive performance, Krieg's NFL peers named him to his first Pro Bowl.

Moreover, his steady play helped the Seahawks eliminate the reigning Super Bowl champion Raiders in a wild card showdown in the Kingdome.

Krieg also played well in Miami the following week, but the Dolphins defeated the Seahawks and went on to lose Super Bowl XIX.

Krieg's inconsistency contributed to the mediocrity of the Seahawks in 1985.

In the team's eight victories, Krieg's passer rating averaged more than 114—an excellent mark—but in their eight losses, his rating hovered just above a dismal 40.

In 1986, Krieg played well initially, leading the Seahawks to a 5–3 record.

However, he faltered in midseason, so Coach Knox benched him in favor of Gale Gilbert.

When that remedy failed to avert a four-game losing streak, Knox gave Krieg another chance.

Nicknamed "Mudbone" by his Seattle teammates, Krieg led the Seahawks on five-game winning streak to finish the season, during which his passer rating exceeded 126.

That December, Krieg was named AFC Player of the Month.

However, the 10-6 Seahawks failed to qualify for the playoffs.