Seattle Backup Qb Job Lands On Moon Former Husky Chooses Seahawks Over San Diego

Warren Moon, who was the MVP in the 1978 Rose Bowl for the Washington Huskies, is coming home to play some more football.

“This is where I want to retire and make my home,” Moon, 40, said Friday. “When it came right down to it, Seattle just had too many positives.”

Moon’s performance in the Rose Bowl helped put coach Don James and Washington back on the college-football map.

Now he’s going to try to help revive the fortunes of the Seattle Seahawks, who may be about to be purchased by billionaire Paul Allen.

On Friday, Moon agreed to a $1.65 million, two-year contract with the Seahawks, spurning the San Diego Chargers and his friend, coach Kevin Gilbride. Gilbride, who was Moon’s offensive coordinator in Houston for four seasons, is the new head coach of the Chargers.

“Because of my relationship with Kevin, that was the toughest thing,” Moon said in a telephone conference call from Los Angeles. “It was tough turning down playing for him.”

Moon was hired on to be John Freisz’s backup under coach Dennis Erickson, who once turned down the coaching job in Edmonton when Moon quarterbacked the CFL Eskimos.

Not so fast, Moon said.

“I know the role I’m coming to Seattle to play, but I won’t go into training camp with the preconceived idea of being a backup,” he said. “I’m used to playing.”

Moon’s decision to pick Seattle over San Diego left free-agent quarterback Dave Krieg, who left the Seahawks in 1992, still without a job. He was here Thursday to meet with Erickson to talk about returning to Seattle.

Moon will play his 20th season in pro football in Seattle, a franchise he nearly signed with after playing six seasons in Edmonton in the CFL. In his 19th season, in Minnesota, he was bothered by a severely sprained right ankle.

“I couldn’t throw to my left and I was basically a sitting duck in the pocket,” he said. “I didn’t have any mobility.”

Moon said he has recovered from the ankle sprain and now wants to show fans he can still play.

“Right now, my desire is as high as it’s ever been because I don’t like the way last season went,” he said.

With Allen thinking strongly about picking up his option to purchase the Seahawks from Ken Behring, the Seahawks now have four significant free-agent signings since their 7-9 1996 season.

They added linebacker Chad Brown and cornerback Willie Williams from Pittsburgh and strong safety Bennie Blades from Detroit.

After trading Rick Mirer to Chicago, the Seahawks will pick 11th and 12th in the April 18 NFL draft.

“I think the team is going to be really good,” Moon said.

In Seattle, he will receive a signing bonus of $575,000 and base salaries of $400,000 and $675,000. The Chargers’ offer was believed to be about $1.5 million for two years.

Moon was offered $500,000 to stay with Minnesota as the Vikings’ backup quarterback. He earned $4.3 million in Minneapolis last season.

Moon, an eight-time Pro Bowler, led the NFL in completions in 1990, ‘91 and ‘95, and set a single-season record of 404 in 1991 with Houston.

He is fourth on the career completions list with 3,514, fourth in attempts with 6,000, fourth in passing yards with 43,787 and tied for seventh with 254 touchdown passes.