After Doug Baldwin went undrafted in 2011, Seahawks GM John Schneider sent him a handwritten note, outlining Seattle’s philosophy and underscoring the team’s interest in signing him.

Doug Baldwin’s unlikely NFL career has been fueled by the chips the fiery receiver keeps on his shoulders, but the team he helped drag to the playoffs last fall believed in him even as the rest of the league overlooked his drive. After Baldwin went undrafted in 2011, Seahawks general manager John Schneider sent Baldwin the following handwritten note, outlining Seattle’s philosophy and underscoring the team’s intense interest in signing him.

Despite the caution Stanford coaches had offered to NFL staffs, the Seahawks’ belief in Baldwin would eventually pay off.