Seahawks May Bring Moon Back Home

After spending $10 million on two Pittsburgh Steelers defenders, the Seattle Seahawks’ offense is looking like it can “Shoot for the Moon.”

Quarterback Warren Moon became the main candidate for the Seahawks’ backup quarterback opening Friday when the Minnesota Vikings cut him.

The 40-year-old Moon, who plans to spend his post-NFL career living in Seattle, will be given the choice of finishing his football days in the city where he played major college football as a Washington Husky.

“We have a definite interest in Warren,” Seahawks vice president Randy Mueller said. “He’s experienced. We still think that he has a strong arm, and we think he has a desire to come back to the area to end his career and retire. We think he’s one of the top two or three quarterbacks available.”

Leigh Steinberg, Moon’s agent, said his client will first explore whether or not there are any starting quarterback jobs for him before looking at backup opportunities. The search will begin in a week, after Moon and his wife return from a one-week vacation cruise.

The Kansas City Chiefs and the Atlanta Falcons are the only two teams currently seeking starting quarterbacks, and Moon’s name hasn’t surfaced in their searches.

The Seahawks also are looking at former Seahawks quarterback Dave Krieg, who plans to visit the Detroit Lions on Monday, Chris Miller and Mark Rypien.

Singing in Seattle

Throwing money around isn’t always the way to succeed on the field, but fans in Seattle are ecstatic over what Paul Allen has done by committing $32.7 million for linebacker Chad Brown and cornerback Willie Williams.

The Seahawks have averaged six wins a year since 1991, when the Ken Behring administration really took hold. A year ago, Behring was on the verge of moving the team to Southern California and the reaction was “so what?” - the Sonics and Mariners were contenders with real stars like Shawn Kemp, Gary Payton, Ken Griffey Jr., and Alex Rodriguez.

But Allen, who still hasn’t committed to buying the team, has changed that.

First, he’s spending his own cash - the $10.7 in signing bonuses for Brown and Williams. That indicates he’s likely to pick up his option to take the Seahawks off Behring’s hands regardless of whether a new stadium is built before the turn of the century.

Second, he is a fan who, like others of his breed, wants desperately to win.

Quick hits

Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Derrick Thomas reportedly has agreed to new contract terms but is refusing to sign. When Kansas City didn’t acquire quarterback Jeff George, Thomas not so quietly changed his mind… . The Dolphins have to count nearly $7 million against the cap this season for players no longer with the team… . Packers coach Mike Holmgren, who claims he and Jim McMahon are brutally honest with each other, said of the backup QB, “I think Jim probably should get on with his life’s work.” McMahon, an exceedingly brittle, 15-year-veteran, would like to come back for another season.

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