AT 40, MOON STILL FULL; VETERAN SEATTLE QB STEPS IN WITHOUT MISSING A BEAT.

Byline: Jim Cour Associated Press 

John Elway smiles when the subject of Warren Moon's longevity comes up.

``It's pretty amazing when you think about it,'' Elway said. ``I guarantee you, I won't be playing when I'm 40.''

Moon, the surprising ancient savior of the Seattle Seahawks offense after starter John Friesz broke his right thumb in the opener, won't be playing when he's 40 much longer.

On Nov. 18, he will celebrate his 41st birthday. Five days later, the Seahawks will play Kansas City in the Kingdome.

``For me to be around this long, I'm amazed sometimes,'' Moon said.

``He may be the first quarterback to play when he's 65 years old,'' said coach Joe Bugel, whose Oakland Raiders face the Seahawks here on Sunday.

``The thing that amazes me about him is that he's so cold-blooded and fearless,'' Bugel added. ``Even at his age right now. I don't think he worries about getting hit. He doesn't have nervous feet. He sits there tall in the saddle and throws the football.''

Denver's Elway, 37, and Moon have something in common besides being great quarterbacks presumably near the end of their NFL careers. Both appear headed to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

There's one burning question about Moon, though.

On the day Elway gets inducted in Canton, Ohio, will Moon still be playing?

``He's having a great year,'' Seahawks coach Dennis Erickson said. ``We've won four of our last five games and that's the bottom line to me, productivity and winning football games.''

Dennis Green, Moon's coach at Minnesota last season, thinks Moon can play for another four or five seasons.

``I don't think any of his skill has eroded at all,'' Green said. ``And he still has enthusiasm and likes to play the game.''

``The big thing that shows up on quarterbacks is when they start getting injured. When they start having leg injuries, shoulder injuries, missed games. He hasn't done any of that yet.''

In his 14 seasons (10 in Houston, three in Minnesota and one in Seattle) in the NFL after six in Edmonton of the Canadian Football League, Moon has become rich in fame and fortune. And he has all the statistical glory - 45,394 yards passing and 3,652 completions (both fourth in NFL history) and 260 touchdown passes (sixth) - his ego needs.

But a year ago in Minnesota, Moon missed eight games because of a badly sprained ankle, the most severe injury of his football career. The pain from the hits on Sundays lingers longer now. Still, he continues.

His arm strength has not diminished nor has his competitive spirit. He works hard in the weight room all week to get ready for his Sundays.

And his new teammates love him.

Said Mike Pritchard, Seattle's leading receiver: ``You know what? He's just a great quarterback. He inspires a lot of confidence in us, not only to the offense, but to the whole team.''

``He's an awesome player. He took me under his wing and I hang out with him. He's real cool,'' rookie cornerback Shawn Springs added.

Signed on March 7 after being released by the Vikings, Moon became the first quarterback in Seahawks history to have five consecutive games of 250 or more yards passing. He has them at 4-3, the first time over .500 since the 1995 season.

In his 14th season in the NFL and 20th in professional football, Moon is completing 60.5 percent of his passes - 138 for 228 - for 1,607 yards and six touchdowns with eight interceptions.

Big-time numbers for a big-time quarterback who was the Pac-8 Player of the Year while leading the Washington Huskies to an upset victory over Michigan in the 1978 Rose Bowl.

Moon wasn't supposed to still be this good. Even the Seahawks have been surprised at how good he's been.

Not a lot in Moon's life has gone wrong. But he had to overcome a July 18, 1995, incident in his home in Sugar Land, Texas, when his wife, Felicia, charged Moon with beating her.

Felicia did not want to prosecute her husband over the July 18, 1995, incident at the couple's home. But prosecutors pursued the case, even though the Moons said they were reconciled.

A jury in Richmond, Texas, acquitted Moon of misdemeanor assault.

After the Vikings chose Brad Johnson as their new starting quarterback and asked to Moon to take a pay cut from $4.3 million to $500,000, Moon refused. Minnesota released him.

The Seahawks signed him to a two-year contract for $1.65 million. He's making Randy Mueller, Seattle's vice president of football operations, and Erickson look like geniuses.

``He seems to be getting better every week, too,'' offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski said. ``He's a young 40. Some people look old at 40, like me.''

In a touch of irony, Moon became the oldest player in NFL history to score a touchdown on a 1-yard run at Indianapolis on Sept. 8. The record was held by Bratkowski's father, Zeke.

Moon began playing as a 10-year-old growing up in Los Angeles. He's not sure when he's going to quit.

``It's fun right now and it's still challenging to me,'' he said. ``As long as it's that way and as long as I still have the physical ability, I'll do it.''

And do it and do it and do it.

CAPTION(S):

2 Photos

PHOTO (1) Approaching his 41st birthday, Warren Moon has showed no signs of slowing down this season as quarterback of the Seattle Seahawks.

(2) In his 14th season in the NFL, Warren Moon has completed 60 percent of his passes for the Seahawks.

Associated Press