Steve Largent is no stranger to the public spotlight.

Before serving as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives between 1994 and 2002 and then failing this year in his attempt to be elected governor of Oklahoma, Largent took his licks far from the world of politics. He took quite a few of them in fact -- on the football field.

	Campaign help from another well-known Republican wasn't enough to help Steve Largent, right, win.

The Tulsa-born Largent made his fame as a record-setting receiver for the Seattle Seahawks, being named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1995 on his first year of eligibility. In a 14-year NFL career, Largent caught 819 passes for 13,089 yards.

The seven-time Pro Bowl selection wasn't known for blinding speed or great athleticism. In fact, he was waived by the Houston Oilers soon after they drafted him in the 1976 fourth round. The Oilers recalled him two days later only to trade him to Seattle for an eighth-round draft pick.

It didn't take long in the Pacific Northwest for Largent to show he had a knack for getting open and seemingly caught any pass thrown his way.

From 1976 through 1989, despite coming out of the University of Tulsa with few accolades and little chance of making a name for himself in the NFL, Largent was the No. 1 pass-catching option for the Seahawks. He still holds several Seattle franchise records, including most games started (197), most touchdowns (101), most receptions in a game (15), most receiving yards in a game (261) and most consecutive games with a catch (177).

His 819 receptions are third-most in NFL history, and his 13,089 receiving yards rank fourth-most. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio in 1995 alongside Jim Finks, Henry Jordan, Lee Roy Selmon and Kellen Winslow.

	With little on his resumé except a Hall of Fame career, Largent was elected to Congress by Tulsa-area voters.

Not that that's what Largent, 48, wants to be know for these days. His goal until being edged out in the Oklahoma governor's race Tuesday by political unknown Brad Henry wasn't the end zone, it was the goal of raising expectations of residents in his home state.

In more than seven years in Congress (he resigned after the first year of his fourth term to run for governor), Largent served as vice-chairman of the Energy and Air Quality Subcommittee and served on the subcommittees of Telecommunications, Oversight and Investigations, and Hazardous Materials. One of his key roles was in trying to help create a fairer, simpler tax system. He also worked with small oil and gas producers to preserve production of those products in Oklahoma and the United States.

Largent has also been a huge proponent of family, youth and community causes, both while playing in the NFL and as a professional politician. In 1990, he was named one of the 10 Outstanding Young Americans by the Jaycees. In 1989, Largent was given the Golden Plate Award by the American Academy of Achievement. While in the NFL, he was recognized as the NFL Man of the Year in 1988 and as the first recipient of the Bart Starr Award by Athletes in Action.

Largent and his wife, Terry, have three sons and a daughter.