Ex-Giants, Seahawks running back Dan Doornink dead at 70 after battling ‘rare autoimmune diseases’ for years

Former Seattle Seahawks and New York Giants running back Dan Doornink has died after years of battling autoimmune diseases. He was 70.

An obituary for the Yakima, Washington native said he battled ‘two rare autoimmune diseases for many years’ before passing away on October 31. Years earlier, Doornink was hospitalized with COVID-19 due to complications with his autoimmune disorders.

In addition to his NFL career, Doornink completed his M.D. at the University of Washington School of Medicine before joining his brother Dave in practicing internal medicine for decades. He later retired from medicine at 65, when he began volunteering as a chaplain and joined a Bible study fellowship, according to his obituary.

He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Sharon, as well as four children and eight grandchildren.

As a player, the Washington State product was known as ‘Mr. Third Down’ for his reputation in the clutch. The former seventh-round pick of the Giants in 1978 had his best years in Seattle, where he played from 1979 until 1985, gaining 3,842 all-purpose yards, scoring 26 total touchdowns and moving the chains 166 times.

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