Steve Largent | |||||||||
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| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromOklahoma's1st district | |||||||||
| In office November 29, 1994 – February 15, 2002 | |||||||||
| Preceded by | Jim Inhofe | ||||||||
| Succeeded by | John Sullivan | ||||||||
| Personal details | |||||||||
| Born | Stephen Michael Largent (1954-09-28)September 28, 1954 (age 71) Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S. | ||||||||
| Party | Republican | ||||||||
| Spouse | Terry Largent | ||||||||
| Children | 4 | ||||||||
| Education | University of Tulsa (BS) | ||||||||
| Football career | |||||||||
| No. 80 | |||||||||
| Position | Wide receiver | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Listed height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||||||||
| Listed weight | 187 lb (85 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school | Putnam City (Warr Acres, Oklahoma) | ||||||||
| College | Tulsa (1972–1975) | ||||||||
| NFL draft | 1976: 4th round, 117th overall pick | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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Stephen Michael Largent (born September 28, 1954) is an American former professionalfootballwide receiver and politician who played in theNational Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons with theSeattle Seahawks. A member of theRepublican Party, he served in theU.S. House of Representatives for Oklahoma's1st congressional district from 1994 to 2002. He was also the Republican nominee in the2002 Oklahoma gubernatorial election. Largent is regarded as one of the greatest wide receivers of all time.[1][2][3][4]
Largent playedcollege football atTulsa University, where he studied biology, and began his NFL career with the expansion Seahawks in 1976. He was selected to sevenPro Bowls and three first-teamAll-Pros while twice leading the league in receiving yards. At the time of his retirement, he held all major NFL receiving records. Largent was inducted to thePro Football Hall of Fame in 1995.
Following his playing career, Largent was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1994 and served four terms, winning over 60% of the vote in each election. He resigned from his seat in 2002 to run for governor of Oklahoma, which he narrowly lost toDemocratic state senatorBrad Henry.
In 1974 at theUniversity of Tulsa, Largent had 884 yards receiving and 14 touchdown catches. In 1975, he had 51 catches for 1,000 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Despite an All-American career at Tulsa, Largent was not selected until the fourth round of the1976 NFL draft by theHouston Oilers with the 117th pick.[5] After four preseason games, he was slated to be cut. According to Largent,Bum Phillips called him into his office and told Largent he had all the receivers they needed, and that Houston would be releasing him. Largent feared his career was over before it began.[6]
However, his college offensive coordinator,Jerry Rhome, was now the quarterbacks and receivers coach of the expansionSeattle Seahawks.[7] Rhome convinced head coachJack Patera to trade a 1977 eighth-round draft pick for Largent.[7] His first practice with the team went horribly, as he was suffering from nine days of sleep deprivation while financially struggling to care for his mother and three younger brothers after their mother left her alcoholic and violent second husband.[8] Despite this unpromising start, he made the roster of the expansion team's first season.
Largent spent his entire 14-year career with the Seahawks. While not particularly fast, he was extremely sure-handed and able to get open due to his precise route-running. Between 1976 and 1981, he and quarterbackJim Zorn—a fellow rookie in 1976—had more completions and yardage than any other pair in the league.[9][better source needed] He became the first Seahawk selected to thePro Bowl, in 1978, and was selected six more times during his career. In 1979 he led the league in receiving yards with 1,237, and six years later did it again with 1,287 in 1985.[10][11] His 1985 receiving yardage was a Seahawks franchise record that stood for 35 years until broken byDK Metcalf in2020.[12]
In 1987, Largent returned to play in a game against theDetroit Lions just before the end of theNational Football League Players Association strike. Facing replacement players, he amassed 15 catches for 261 yards and three touchdowns.[13] With the retirement ofCharlie Joiner the previous year, Largent became the NFL's active leader in career receiving yards, retaining that lead until his retirement in 1989. He broke Joiner's all-time record for receiving yards (12,146) in week 3 of 1988.
In the same season, he was knocked unconscious and suffered a concussion and two cracked teeth when he was hit in the head with a forearm byMike Harden of theDenver Broncos; Harden was fined $5000 by the league.[14] Fourteen weeks later, in a rematch, Harden interceptedDave Krieg's pass in the end zone, but Largent raced over and inflicted a blindside hit that caused Harden to fall to the ground and fumble the ball, which Largent then recovered; the play was negated by a defensive penalty, but Largent had gotten his revenge.[14]
In 1989, Largent became the first Seahawks player to win theSteve Largent Award for his spirit, dedication, and integrity.[15]
During his playing career, Largent was given the nickname "Yoda" for his ability to catch anything thrown at him.[16] He attributed this ability to askeet shooting buddy, a sport that focuses only on the edge of the skeet, as he only focused on the tip of the ball to track and catch balls, in the era where receivers and defensive backs did not wear gloves. This also allowed him to quickly adjust from catching balls thrown by left-handedJim Zorn to right-handedDave Krieg.
When Largent retired, he held all major NFL receiving records, including most receptions in a career (819), most receiving yards in a career (13,089), and most touchdown receptions (100). He also had a then-record streak of 177 consecutive regular-season games with a reception. He also holds the distinction as the first receiver in NFL history to grab 100 touchdown receptions in his career; his record stood until 1992 when it was broken byJerry Rice. Largent was inducted into thePro Football Hall of Fame in 1995, his first year of eligibility. Hetossed the ceremonial coin atSuper Bowl XXIX that year; Largent was the first Seahawks player to both participate in a Super Bowl and to become a Pro Football Hall of Famer. In 1999, he was ranked number 46 onThe Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Football Players, the only Seahawk to make the list. His #80 wasretired in 1992; Largent is the first Seahawk player to be so honored. During Jerry Rice's stint with the Seahawks in 2004, Largent's #80 was temporarily "unretired" after a conversation between Rice (who idolized Largent growing up) and Largent that was reportedly initiated by then Seahawks presidentBob Whitsitt.[17] Largent remains the most prolific receiver in team history. On October 26, 2008, Largent's University of Tulsa #83 was alsoretired.[18]
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Led the league | |
| Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | Receiving | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | ||||
| 1976 | SEA | 14 | 13 | 54 | 705 | 13.1 | 45 | 4 |
| 1977 | SEA | 14 | 14 | 33 | 643 | 19.5 | 74 | 10 |
| 1978 | SEA | 16 | 16 | 71 | 1,168 | 16.5 | 57 | 8 |
| 1979 | SEA | 15 | 15 | 66 | 1,237 | 18.7 | 55 | 9 |
| 1980 | SEA | 16 | 16 | 66 | 1,064 | 16.1 | 67 | 6 |
| 1981 | SEA | 16 | 16 | 75 | 1,224 | 16.3 | 57 | 9 |
| 1982 | SEA | 8 | 8 | 34 | 493 | 14.5 | 45 | 3 |
| 1983 | SEA | 15 | 14 | 72 | 1,074 | 14.9 | 46 | 11 |
| 1984 | SEA | 16 | 16 | 74 | 1,164 | 15.7 | 65 | 12 |
| 1985 | SEA | 16 | 16 | 79 | 1,287 | 16.3 | 43 | 6 |
| 1986 | SEA | 16 | 16 | 70 | 1,070 | 15.3 | 38 | 9 |
| 1987 | SEA | 13 | 13 | 58 | 912 | 15.7 | 55 | 8 |
| 1988 | SEA | 15 | 15 | 39 | 645 | 16.5 | 46 | 2 |
| 1989 | SEA | 10 | 9 | 28 | 403 | 14.4 | 33 | 3 |
| Career | 200 | 197 | 819 | 13,089 | 16.0 | 74 | 100 | |
In 1994, Oklahoma's 1st District CongressmanJim Inhofe resigned to run in a special election to succeedSenatorDavid Boren. Largent won the election to succeed Inhofe in Congress; pursuant to an Oklahoma statute, GovernorDavid Walters designated the special election in which Largent was elected to serve the remainder of Inhofe's term in the103rd Congress before beginning his term in the104th Congress.[19][20]
Largent took office on November 29, 1994, and was reelected to the three succeeding Congresses, never winning less than 60 percent of the vote in the heavily RepublicanTulsa-based district.[21][22][23]
Like many in the Republican freshman class elected in 1994, when the Republicans took control of the House for the first time in 40 years, Largent's voting record was solidly conservative. Largent was one of the "true believers" in that freshman class, devoting most of his time to issues important toconservative Christians.
One of his first bills was a "parental rights" bill that died in committee after it attracted opposition even from other Christian conservatives. Another of his bills would have abolished the federal tax code at the end of 2001. He opposed ending the1995 federal government shutdown and played a role in the failed attempt to oustNewt Gingrich as Speaker. Largent introduced a bill that would ban adoptions by gay and lesbian parents in Washington, D. C. Before taking office, in 1993, Largent wrote a letter in which he said "many homosexual practices are immoral and downright repugnant".[24]
He was accused of beinganti-Catholic due to his line of questioning of a House of Representativeschaplain in 2000, though he denied this.[25]
After the Republicans lost five seats in the 1998 midterm elections, Largent tried to take advantage of discontent withMajority LeaderDick Armey by challenging Armey for the post. Although Armey was not popular in the Republican caucus, Largent was thought to be far too conservative for the liking of some moderate Republicans, and Armey won on the third ballot.[26] However, whenBob Livingston ofLouisiana stood down as Speaker-elect, Armey was still too wounded to make a bid for the job.
Largent decided to run forgovernor of Oklahoma in2002. He easily won the Republican nomination and resigned his House seat on February 15 to devote his energy to the race. Initially seen as an overwhelming favorite against Democratic state senatorBrad Henry, Largent lost by just under 7,000 votes.[27]
Largent's loss has been attributed by analysts to factors that included:
Largent became president and CEO ofCTIA-The Wireless Association in November 2003 and served until May 2014. CTIA is an international nonprofit membership organization founded in 1984, representing all sectors of wireless communications: cellular, personal communication services, and enhanced specialized mobile radio.[32][33]
In 1990, Largent received the Golden Plate Award of theAmerican Academy of Achievement.[34]
People magazine named Largent to its 1996list of "Most Beautiful People".[35]
Largent has a son Kramer James (b. November 11, 1985) withspina bifida. He and his wife, Terry, also have three older children, sons Kyle and Kelly and daughter Casie.[36]
| Year | Republican | Votes | Pct | Democratic | Votes | Pct | 3rd party | Party | Votes | Pct | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Steve Largent | 107,085 | 63% | Stuart Price | 63,753 | 37% | |||||||
| 1996 | Steve Largent | 143,415 | 68% | Randolph John Amen | 57,996 | 28% | Karla Condray | Independent | 8,996 | 4% | |||
| 1998 | Steve Largent | 91,031 | 62% | Howard Plowman | 56,309 | 38% | |||||||
| 2000 | Steve Largent | 138,528 | 69% | Dan Lowe | 58,493 | 29% | Michael A. Clem | Libertarian | 2,984 | 1% |
| Candidates | Party | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brad Henry | Democratic Party | 448,143 | 43.27% | ||
| Steve Largent | Republican Party | 441,277 | 42.61% | ||
| Gary Richardson | Independent | 146,200 | 14.12% | ||
| Total | 1,035,620 | 100.0% | |||
| Source:2002 Election Results | |||||
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromOklahoma's 1st congressional district 1994–2002 | Succeeded by |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Response to the State of the Union address 1999 Served alongside:Jennifer Dunn | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Republican nominee forGovernor of Oklahoma 2002 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
| Preceded byas Former U.S. Representative | Order of precedence of the United States as Former U.S. Representative | Followed byas Former U.S. Representative |
