Alexander, the second year player out of Alabama, was still spending most of his second season in the NFL watching starting running back Ricky Watters take most of the carries in the Seattle Seahawks’ backfield.

But an injury to Watters allowed Alexander to start against the Oakland Raiders in a nationally televised game in 2001 on ESPN’s Sunday Night Football. Alexander didn’t balk at the opportunity and certainly did not disappoint.

At the time, the Raiders were on a five game win streak and the news that Alexander would be starting was sweet music to their ears. After all, Alexander had not even established himself as a threat thus far in his young career. What ensued that night, however, was Alexander ripping Oakland’s defense for 266 yards and three touchdowns.

The performance was good for fourth among the NFL single-game rushing leaders.

Alexander led the NFL in rushing touchdowns that season with 14 and tied Terrell Owens in total touchdowns with 16. Consider that feat and then consider what Alexander did in the ’05 season. If the ’01 season brought him to the proverbial NFL party, the ’05 season marked how Alexander now is the party.

In ‘05, Alexander broke the franchise record for the most rushing yards in Seattle Seahawks' history with 1,880.

On November 20, 2005, in San Francisco, Alexander became the first player in NFL history to score 19 rushing or receiving TDs in only 10 games. That mark eventually aided him in breaking the single-season mark for touchdowns with 28. He wasn’t done either. In a December victory over the San Francisco 49ers, he ran for his ninth 100-yard rushing game of the year, breaking Chris Warren's franchise record of eight 100-yard games. He currently holds the Seahawks’ records for career rushing yards with 7,817 and touchdowns with 89.

Led by their star player, the Seahawks eventually went to ’06 Super Bowl in Detroit, their first appearance in the history of the franchise. Although they suffered defeat at the hands of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Alexander led all rushers with 95 yards. He also won 19 out of the 50 votes to earn his and the Seahawks first MVP trophy. Shortly after winning the trophy, Shaun was also named the Associated Press Offensive Player of the Year.

In March of ’06, the Seahawks signed Alexander to an eight-year, $62 million contract, which made him the highest paid running back in the history of the NFL. Although he suffered a serious foot injury in the '06 season, the deal should ensure that the NFC would have their hands full with the Seahawks ground game for many more years to come.