Written by Owen Sexton / owen@chronline.com
Dozens of people gathered in downtown Centralia on Sunday, lining up to meet former Seattle Seahawks running back and three-time Pro Bowler Chris Warren.
He appeared at the Kuipers Card and Memorabilia Show at Tower Plaza Mall on Sunday, May 5, to meet with fans and sign autographs.
During his time in the National Football League, Warren began playing on special teams for Seattle, a fourth-round draft pick in 1990. He worked his way up to starting running back for the Seahawks, playing against some of the NFL's most legendary defenders.
“When we played with Junior Seau, we didn't know where he was going to be on the field,” Warren said. “…The Chiefs had Derrick Thomas, Buffalo had Bruce Smith, the AFC had the greatest players of all time. They weren't just good players. They were the all-time greats. Football The golden age of
Despite being district rivals and having to play Seau and the San Diego Chargers twice a season, Warren was concerned because the Chargers had the best field he played on, the old Qualcomm Stadium. I didn't.
In Warren's opinion, Kansas City has the best barbecue, so the Chiefs' matchup with Thomas wasn't too bad. But there was one place he didn't want to play – Philadelphia.
“Worst fans, worst field, worst hotel we stayed in, worst food. Philadelphia was bad,” Warren said. “However, I’m from Washington, D.C., so I don’t really have much to say about the city.”
When it comes to today's NFL, rules have changed and styles of play and practice have evolved. Some people, including some prominent older players, do not like these changes and believe that the game is being changed negatively, but Warren disagrees.
“Football is football. You can't say any era is more physical than another. Strength is strength and speed is speed. I'm happy with the way the game is being played,” Warren said. . “The most important thing in this game hasn't changed, and that's blocks and tackles.”
One of the most controversial changes was the recent ban on hip-drop tackles, which many people publicly opposed. Warren again disagrees with them.
“They should change that. I don't want my legs broken by someone who doesn't want to grab me by the shoulders. If they just grab me from the side (of my legs) and pull my weight down, that's not a tackle. '' Warren said.
He started on special teams and had to make many tackles himself to protect punts and kickoff returns.
And even when he was the Seahawks' starting running back, he routinely had to block in pass protection and even make the occasional tackle. Warren recalled a 1996 game against the Green Bay Packers when he had to tackle a player considered by many to be the best defensive player in NFL history.
With about four minutes left in the first quarter of the game, defensive end Reggie White, who would go on to become a Hall of Famer after a career in Philadelphia and Green Bay, intercepted a pass to Warren.
After catching the football, White began running in the opposite direction in an attempt to return the interception for a touchdown, with Warren giving chase.
“Reggie, he was a monster…I chased him down the sideline and tackled him and tried to rip the ball off, and I hurt myself trying to take him down,” Warren said.
Aside from tackling and other rule changes, additional games were recently added to the NFL regular season, which Warren also approved. Negotiations are underway to add one more regular season game and reduce the number of preseason games from three to two.
In his opinion, Warren, if still playing, would rather play meaningful football games than waste time playing preseason games.
And despite being one of the bigger offensive weapons the Seahawks teams had in the 1990s, he is not in the team's Ring of Honor.
“When I was in Seattle, I was getting 1,000 yards every year, whether it was running or just on punts and kickoff returns,” Warren said. “(Steve) Largent is probably the only guy with more all-purpose yards than me.”
Warren was selected to the Pro Bowl for three consecutive seasons. In his one in the 1995 season, he also scored his 15th rushing touchdown.
“And that's not counting all kick returns,” Warren added. “…There are a lot of guys who should be in Ring of Honor.”
It remains to be seen whether the Seahawks will add Warren's name to the Ring of Honor, but some fans are starting an online campaign to get Seattle to add Warren to the Ring of Honor when he plays Sunday. floated the idea of starting.
By the time he finished playing in Seattle in 1997, he held the franchise's rushing yards record, which was broken in 2005 by Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander.
After his time in Seattle, Warren played for the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles, retiring from the NFL after the 2000 season. Now in his retirement, Warren enjoys traveling, cooking, and fishing.
For those who missed Warren's appearance but still want his autograph, autographed cards and photos are available for purchase at Keiper's Cards, 320 N. Tower Ave., suite 104, in Centralia.
To learn more about upcoming autograph sessions including former Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle and August Super Bowl 48 champion Joseph “Red” Bryant, check out Keiper's Cards on Facebook or Instagram Please follow us.
