Dan Doornink, a former Seattle Seahawks running back who led the team to a playoff win, has passed away. He was 70.
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The Seahawks announced the news but did not provide a cause of death.
"We're saddened by the passing of former Seahawk Dan Doornink. Our thoughts are with his family, friends and loved ones," the team said in a statement.
A native of Washington, Doornink spent nearly his entire football career in his home state. This includes his college career as he attended Washington State University.
It was at WSU that Doornink converted from quarterback to running back and became a star. He accounted for 2,707 scrimmage yards during his four-year career (1974-77). He also scored 16 total touchdowns.
Doornink landed with the New York Giants as a seventh-round pick in the 1978 NFL Draft, but he only spent one season with the team. He rushed for 306 yards and one touchdown.
The New York Giants traded Doornink to the Seattle Seahawks in 1979. This kicked off a seven-year tenure in the Pacific Northwest, which included the first playoff appearance in team history in 1983.
“Dr. Dan” was a running back for 8 @NFL seasons, all but one with the @Seahawks. He’s most well remembered for his 123 yard rushing effort in a Wild Card playoff victory over the @Raiders in 1984. Dan Doornink passed away yesterday at the age of 70. #RIP pic.twitter.com/XlZW2KWfxG
— Bill Nelson (@Thelscwxman) November 1, 2026
The Washington native rushed for 1,530 yards and 14 touchdowns during his seven-year run. He added 1,940 yards and 11 touchdowns on receptions.
One of the biggest games of his NFL career came during the 1984 season. He rushed for more than 120 yards in the wild-card round win over the Los Angeles Raiders.
Doornink made a major career change after the end of his NFL career. He earned a Doctor of Medicine at the University of Washington. He then practiced internal medicine at Memorial Cornerstone Medicine after returning to his hometown of Yakima, Washington.
"We are saddened by the passing of Coug Hall of Fame running back Dan Doornink," Washington State University said in a statement.
"We are grateful for his impact on the field and his tremendous work across the state of Washington. Our thoughts are with the Doornink family, his friends, and teammates during this difficult time."
