September 28, 1954 – Steve Largent was a 5’-11″ 187 187-pound wideout from Tulsa University.
Steve wasn’t the biggest or fastest receiver in the country, but he could have had the most heart and determination of them all. The Houston Oilers picked Largent in the fourth round of the 1976 NFL draft with the 177th overall pick.
According to his bio on the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s website, Largent was on the field for the four Oilers’ preseason contests before being traded to the expansion Seattle Seahawks for an eighth-round pick. Largent would make the Oilers regret that deal for giving up on him so quickly.
The new Seattle receiver would have a stellar 14-year career with the Seahawks and, upon retirement, hold NFL records such as the most receptions (819), the most consecutive games with a reception (177), the most 1,000-yard receiving seasons (8), and the most seasons with 50 or more receptions (10).
When Largent retired, he was the NFL’s all-time leader in every significant receiving category: most career receptions (819), most career receiving yards (13,089), and most career touchdown receptions (100). He also set a record with a streak of 177 consecutive regular-season games with at least one catch. Furthermore, he was the first receiver in NFL history to reach 100 career touchdown receptions, a record he held until 1992 when Jerry Rice surpassed it.
The player that Houston would deem too small to play in the NFL would be a three-time All-Pro and an entrant into the Pro Football Hall of Fame at the 1995 induction ceremony.
Largent went into public service just before his Hall of Fame induction. The voters of the State of Oklahoma chose Steve for the House of Representatives. Following a memorable election win, Largent was sworn into office on November 29, 1994. He was subsequently re-elected to the following three Congresses, consistently winning with overwhelming support—never receiving less than 60 percent of the vote in his heavily Republican, Tulsa-based district.
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