Steve Hutchinson will cement his place in NFL history when he is inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as part of the 2020 modern-era class. Let’s look at Hutchinson’s career highlights, stats, and net worth at the end of his football career.
Steve Hutchinson’s Hall of Fame career
Having been born in Fort Lauderdale in 1977, Hutchinson had an impressive high school career. In 2007, he was named among the top 33 football players in Florida’s 100-year high school football history.
Hutchinson went on to attend the University of Michigan from 1996 to 2000. He redshirted in 1996, during which time he transitioned from defensive tackle to guard. As a guard, Hutchinson would start for the Wolverines in 1997 as the team won the AP National Championship.
Hutchinson racked up the accolades during his time at Michigan. He was a four-year starter, two of which he was a team captain. During that time, he was named All-Big Ten four times, an All-American twice (unanimously selected to the first team as a senior), and won the Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year award in 2000.
Hutchinson had success with the Seattle Seahawks
Hutchinson’s performances in college saw him selected 17th overall in the 2001 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks. He started 16 games as a rookie before injury curtailed his second season.
However, Hutchinson took it to a new level in his third season in 2003. He returned to the field as a 16-game starter, garnering his initial first-team All-Pro recognition and Pro Bowl appearance.
Hutchinson built on that season with Pro Bowl appearances in 2004 and 2005. He would be named a second-team All-Pro in 2004, behind Alan Faneca and Brian Waters.
In his final season with the Seahawks in 2005, Hutchinson would receive his second first-team All-Pro nomination. On top of that, he anchored the offensive line that helped Shaun Alexander earn MVP in 2005 and led the Seahawks to Super Bowl XL.
Hutchinson’s move to Minnesota led to a change in NFL rules
As a free agent, the Vikings offered Hutchinson a seven-year contract worth $49 million. This contract was believed to be the richest ever for a guard. However, the Seahawks designated him as their transition tag player and had the opportunity to match the Vikings’ offer.
The offer caused controversy because the Vikings included a clause that stated if Hutchinson were not the highest-paid offensive lineman on the team, his entire salary would be fully guaranteed.
The Seahawks had recently signed OT Walter Jones to a larger contract, meaning that they would have had to go above and beyond the offer from the Vikings or fully guarantee Hutchinson’s salary across seven years.
Seattle could not afford to do this and let Hutchinson leave. However, as he was on the transition tag, the team received no compensation. The Seahawks retaliated with a similar offer to WR Nate Burleson, who had been given the transition tag by the Vikings. These clauses (known as “poison pills”) were subsequently banned following this controversy.
Hutchinson continued to impress on the field
On the field for the Vikings, Hutchinson demonstrated just why signing him was worth the controversy. Having played three straight full seasons for the Seahawks, he played 59 straight games to begin his Vikings’ career.
In the first of those, he was named a second-team All-Pro, before being named a first-team All-Pro in each of the next three seasons. During that time, Hutchinson was selected to four straight Pro Bowls.
Hutchinson’s first missed game for the Vikings came in December of 2010. He also missed two games at the end of the 2011 NFL season, before being released ahead of the 2012 NFL league year.
Following his release, Hutchinson signed a three-year contract with the Tennessee Titans. He played in 12 games for the Titans in 2012, before retiring prior to the 2013 NFL league year.
Steve Hutchinson’s stats
Hutchinson played 12 years in the NFL. When it comes to offensive linemen, stats are hard to come by, simply due to the nature of the position. However, longevity and games played tell you a lot about the quality of the player.
During his career, Hutchinson played a total of 169 games. He missed a total of 23 games, with 14 of them coming in his second season in the league. In the following 10 years, he missed just nine games in total, all of which came in his final three seasons. Hutchinson played 16 games in seven straight seasons.
Career highlights
What are Hutchinson’s career highlights?
- 5x first-team All-Pro (2003, 2005, 2007-2009)
- NFL 2000s All-Decade Team
- 2x second-team All-Pro (2004 & 2006)
- 7x Pro Bowl (2003-2009)
Steve Hutchinson’s net worth
Depending on the source, Hutchinson is believed to have a net worth of between $10 and $15 million following his NFL career. The majority of that was earned during his time in the NFL. Let’s take a look at how much Hutchinson earned during his NFL contracts.
Hutchinson’s NFL contracts
As a first-round pick in 2001, Hutchinson signed a five-year contract worth $6.8 million. That rookie contract included a $3.3 million signing bonus. The controversial contract with the Vikings saw Hutchinson sign for $49 million over seven years, including a $10 million signing bonus. His release in 2012 would see him miss out on the final $7 million.
Hutchinson then signed a three-year contract worth $16.8 million. The contract contained a $4.5 million signing bonus and $6 million in guarantees. He was released after just one year, earning just $6.5 million of value prior to his retirement.
Over the course of his career, Hutchinson would earn a total of $51.4 million in cash. He earned $36 million with the Vikings, $8.9 million with the Seahawks, and $6.5 million with the Titans.
Ben Rolfe is a Senior Managing Editor at Pro Football Network and is also a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA). You can find him on Twitter @BenRolfePFN.