Dan Doornink: key obituary facts
Is Dan Doornink dead? Yes. Dan Doornink died on October 31, 2026, at age 70.
Cause of death: Dan Doornink's cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.
What was Dan Doornink known for?
He was an American football player.
More about Dan Doornink
Born: 1 February 1956.
Place of birth: Yakima.
Gender: male.
Nationality: United States.
Education: Washington State University.
Also known as: Daniel Glenn Doornink.
Dan Doornink, an American football player who played for the New York Giants and Seattle Seahawks, died October 31, 2026, aged 70.
Born Daniel Glenn Doornink in Yakima, Washington, he attended Wapato High School, graduating in 1974, before playing college football for Washington State University in Pullman. The Giants selected him in the seventh round of the 1978 NFL draft, 174th overall.
After one season with New York, he moved to Seattle in an August 1979 trade for a draft choice and spent seven seasons with the Seahawks as a running back. Seattle fans called him “Dr. Dan,” a reference to his medical career, and “Mr. Third Down,” for his ability to gain first downs on third-down runs and receptions. One of his notable postseason performances came in the 1984 wild-card game against the Los Angeles Raiders. In Seattle’s victory at the Kingdome on December 22, he rushed for 123 yards on 27 carries. Doornink’s path from Washington State to the NFL included stops with two teams, but the bulk of his professional playing career was with Seattle, where his third-down work became part of his identity among fans.