For the fourth time in the last six years, the Seattle Seahawks won the NFL's Kick Hunger Challenge, a friendly competition between all 32 NFL teams that raises money for food banks nationwide.

The Seattle team, led by former Seahawks defensive tackle Craig Terrill and Seattle area restauranteur Chef John Howie, raised $244,044 for Food Lifeline, enough to provide nearly a million meals.

Howie and Terrill were in Minnesota for the 27th annual Party with a Purpose during Super Bowl LII week where the Seahawks were named the Kick Hunger winners. New England finished second, raising $107,237, and Minnesota was third at $107,229. Overall more than $620,000 was raised, a Kick Hunger Challenge record.

Over the past six years, the Seahawks Kick Hunger Challenge team has raised $770,000 for Food Lifeline, enough to provide 3.5 million meals for those in need around Western Washington.

"It would not have been possible to reach this remarkable milestone for Food Lifeline without the partnership of our presenting sponsor Microsoft, the support of the Seattle Seahawks, the commitment of community-minded celebrities like event co-hosts Walter Jones and Jordan Babineaux, and – most importantly –hundreds of generous 12s who supported us throughout the season," Howie said in a press release. "It feels great to win the Kick Hunger Challenge, but knowing our efforts will provide 978,000 meals for Food Lifeline to distribute throughout Washington is an achievement I am proud to have been part of."

The Seattle team raised $234,044 through three signature events sponsored by Microsoft—an additional $10,000 was awarded by Taste of the NFL for the first-place finish. Howie and former Seahawks safety Jordan Babineaux hosted a Kick Hunger Challenge Celebrity Poker Tournament at CenturyLink Field last June, an event that included former Seahawks and SuperSonics players and current members of the Seattle Sounders and Seattle Reign; in November, CenturyLink Field hosted the inaugural Taste of the Seahawks, a strolling food and beverage experience featuring local restaurants, wineries, breweries and distilleries; and in January the sixth annual Kick Hunger Challenge Dinner and Auction was held at Howie's SPORT Restaurant & Bar, an event co-hosted by Pro Football Hall of Fame tackle Walter Jones and Howie.

Ames Bros also donated profits from their Kick Hunger Challenge apparel collection, and John Howie Restaurants donated a dollar from each hand-crafted specialty Kick Hunger Challenge cocktail served from October through January at Howie's four area restaurants.