A year ago today, the Seahawks lost one of the most talented and beloved players in franchise history. On the anniversary of his passing, the Seahawks remember the life and career of Cortez Kennedy, a Hall of Fame defensive tackle who spent his entire NFL career in Seattle.

Kennedy, who arrived in Seattle as a first-round pick in 1990, was one of the best players of his era, making the Pro Bowl eight times in 11 seasons and earning All-Pro honors five times. His dominance transcended wins and losses to the point that he earned NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors in 1992 despite playing for a team that finished with a 2-14 record. But it was more than just Kennedy's physical talents that made him a sports icon in the Pacific Northwest; it was his big personality, his sense of humor and his love for life that stood out as much as any of his impressive on-field exploits.

"He was like a kid all the time," former Seahawks coach Dennis Erickson said last year. "He smiled, he had fun all the time. He just enjoyed life and enjoyed people."

Dave Wyman spent only three of his nine NFL seasons playing with Kennedy, but said last year, "If you had asked me who was my best teammate, I would say Tez, and 75 percent of that was stuff off the field. He was always joyful, he was always happy. He was like the kid playing football on the playground, and that just rubs off on you. And I'm telling you, I never heard an ill word from that guy. Ever. I never heard a criticism, I never heard him get mad about something someone wrote or said. He's a great example for every football player. As a football player, you're supposed to be like a holy terror in between the lines, then off the field, you're supposed to be a nice, humble, gracious guy, and you strive to do that, but you don't always get it done. He always got it done."