Seahawks News

"This is the speech coach Mike Holmgren should give tonight when he addresses his players on the eve of the Seahawks' first day of practice: "Welcome back, gentlemen. Let me say that starting today I want you to think of this season differently than any season in your career, whether it's Pop Warner, prep or the Pro Bowl. "This isn't just another NFL season we're entering. It's a rescue mission. "Have you men been paying attention to the sports scene in this town? Have you scanned the sports pages? "I mean it's as arid as the Kalahari Desert, as desolate as the surface of the moon. Sea of Tranquillity? In this city, it's more like the Sea of Hostility. "The sports fans here are as desperate ..."

"The Seahawks' rookies reported Tuesday to begin preparing for the start of training camp practices on Friday morning. With two notable exceptions. USC defensive lineman Lawrence Jackson and Notre Dame tight end John Carlson, the team's top two picks in April's NFL draft, were not on hand because they have yet to sign or agree to contracts. But the club remains optimistic that Jackson and Carlson can be signed before the first training camp practice. The agents for Jackson and Carlson simply said there was no news to report in the negotiations for their clients."

"The Seattle Seahawks start a quest for a fifth consecutive NFC West Division title Friday when training camp opens in Kirkland, Wash. The Northwest's NFL team opens exhibition play Aug. 8 at Minnesota, and the regular season Sept. 7 at Buffalo. The Seahawks released Shaun Alexander in the offseason, but they return most of their core players — quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, left tackle Walter Jones, receivers Nate Burleson and Bobby Engram, linebackers Julian Peterson and Lofa Tatupu, defensive end Patrick Kerney and cornerback Marcus Trufant."

"The encore begins this week. Five days and counting until Mike Holmgren's final season as Seahawks coach begins with the team's first training-camp practice. He is the coach who came to a mediocre franchise nine years ago and made it meaningful. Five consecutive postseason berths, four division titles in a row and more playoff victories in the past three seasons than in the franchise's first 30 years. But this is it for Holmgren, and whether his coaching tenure ends with a sigh or a celebration will depend a great deal upon the franchise's ability to resuscitate the very thing that was Holmgren's trademark: the offense."

"Everybody has questions. How soon can quarterbacks Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco start in Atlanta and Baltimore? Where does Brett Favre play in 2008, if he plays at all? Is there another team such as the New York Giants that will come out of the shadows at playoff time to seize the Super Bowl? There are no ready answers in July and August. Training camp is a time to grind, but it's also a time for optimism. Let's set the stage for the NFL's 89th season."

"Yes, the Bears have some issues as they head into training camp this week. But they are not alone. Each of the 32 teams in the NFL will be trying to answer deep questions, tie together loose ends and bury ghosts of the past. Here is a look at the other 31:"

"Seahawks linebacker Lofa Tatupu said Friday in a radio interview that his decision to drink and drive, which led to his arrest and sentencing to a day in jail, has been haunting him. He acknowledged his mistake and thanked the organization for helping him get through the aftermath of his May 10 arrest. "We are role models and that's something I pride myself on," Tatupu said in an interview Friday afternoon with Dave Mahler on KJR-AM radio. "I really wouldn't have been able to live with myself if someone had been hurt.""

"The Seahawks' annual intrasquad scrimmage is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 2, at 11 a.m. at Qwest Field. The scrimmage will last about 90 minutes. Tickets go on sale today beginning at 10 a.m. at Ticketmaster outlets in the local area or on the Internet at www.ticketmaster.com. Prices are $12 for adults, $5 for ages 6 to 17 and free for children 5 and under. Proceeds from the scrimmage will benefit "Play It Smart" programs at Rainier Beach and Clover Park high schools. Before the scrimmage, the team will host a two-hour Gatorade junior football camp for kids ages 8 to 14 starting at 8 a.m. Participants will work with local high-school coaches to learn fundamentals, techniques and ..."

"Seahawks linebacker Lofa Tatupu pleaded guilty to driving under the influence and was sentenced today to one day in jail and ordered to pay fines and court costs of $1,255. In his sentencing ruling at a pretrial hearing, Kirkland Municipal Court Judge Michael Lambo credited the Seahawks co-captain with having completed alcohol information school and attendance of a DUI victim's panel within a week of the May 10 arrest. Tatupu originally entered a not-guilty plea to the DUI charge while the case was being investigated. He changed that plea to guilty Monday. Tatupu, 25, issued a public apology today in a statement from his attorney, Jon Scott Fox. The statement was similar to the one ..."

"Keith Gilbertson never was just a football player, and never has been just a football coach. He always was an advocate for the sport, and the profession. He still is, in his new role this season as wide receivers coach for the Seahawks. Gilbertson's passion for the sport, and comprehension of the game, is rooted in the fact that he grew up the son of a coach -- Keith Sr. -- in the coaching hotbed that is Snohomish County. It was apparent to Jerry Parrish, Gilbertson's first position coach at Snohomish High School in the mid-1960s. "Keith's insight into what we were trying to do was really good," said Parrish, now retired and a member of the Washington State Coaches Hall of Fame. "I ..."

"The Seattle Seahawks on Wednesday signed running back Justin Forsett to a multiyear contract, the first of the team's draft picks to get a deal in place. Because teams are allowed only 80 players on the roster for training camp, the Seahawks must release a player from their 87-man roster each time a draft pick is signed. To make room for Forsett, cornerback Donovan Alexander was waived. Forsett was the team's seventh-round pick, selected 233rd overall out of California because, offensive coordinator Gil Haskell said, his talent was too good to pass on even though the Seahawks already had a full contingent of running backs."

"The attorney for Seahawks middle linebacker Lofa Tatupu entered a plea of not guilty on the charge of driving under the influence for his client this morning at Kirkland Municipal Court. Tatupu, 25, was present in the crowded courtroom, wearing a dark suit. The not-guilty plea was the only legal business of the day for Tatupu, who was arrested May 10 in Kirkland after taking three field-sobriety tests and declining to take a portable Breathalyzer. His blood-alcohol content was measured at 0.155 and 0.158 in breath tests administered at the Kirkland Police Department."

"It has been well documented that the 2008 season will be Mike Holmgren's final one with the Seahawks. But what kind of season will it be, and how will the players react to the coach's swan song? "I don't know. It's pretty early," quarterback Matt Hasselbeck said. "There's a lot of stuff to be played out. Who knows? This is a brand-new team. It is every year. But this year, it's even more so. So it's hard to get a gauge on it right now."

"Seahawks defensive tackle Rocky Bernard's domestic-violence case will be dismissed if he complies with a series of conditions for two years. The city attorney and Bernard agreed to a stipulated order of continuance that says he cannot have any criminal law violations for two years and must comply with the terms of a no-contact order with the victim. He must complete a domestic-violence treatment program, undergo a drug-and-alcohol evaluation, comply with any treatment recommendations, and cannot possess weapons. He also must pay $400 in court costs."

"Practice was over. June minicamp had ended. Mike Holmgren had emerged from minor surgery in good health and spirits. It was time to talk about the most important topic surrounding him ? his upcoming birthday, the big 6-0. "You know, I'm 58," Holmgren kidded amid laughter from reporters. "Some of you had me 60 already! Sixty is the new 30." To set the record straight, the Seahawks coach is 59 years old until Sunday, when he turns 60. He's entering his 10th and final season of coaching the Seahawks."

"After the final play in the final practice of the Seahawks' final minicamp, coach Mike Holmgren gathered the players around him for a few final words. He told them to behave during the next five weeks, until the players return for the start of training camp practices on July 25. He also told them to come back prepared to be better in his final season as coach. Not necessarily in that order."

"The window for Ben Obomanu and Courtney Taylor has been opened, and the pair of pals has jumped right through. The young wide receivers from Auburn are taking advantage of extra snaps in practices over the past two weeks to show what they can do and how well they have learned the Seahawks' offense. Not that they haven't in the past, it's just that the Seahawks are down three experienced receivers with the absence of Deion Branch and Bobby Engram and the departure of D.J. Hackett via free agency."

"On the typical NFL priority list, the contract demands of a 35-year-old wide receiver rank somewhere between the punter's new helmet demands and the quality-control coach's new whistle demands. Thirty-five isn't old for a receiver. It's fossilized. Those guys belong encased in a museum. So conventional logic says the Seahawks should ignore Bobby Engram's protests until he realizes that a holdout will only make his hair turn gray. The problem is, there's nothing conventional about what Engram means to the Seahawks. So in the cold world of NFL business, we've arrived at a dilemma. Who needs whom more?"

""I feel like it's been pretty good. We've been on the same page," he said. "Bill's very, very good at making sure we're prepared when we go to practice, so we don't have too many of those moments." "The good thing about Matt, he's a real professional," Lazor said. "So when you approach him with something that can be better -- even if he doesn't agree 100 percent -- he recognizes we're working to get better.""

"Kevin Hobbs' second chance in Seattle arrived with a late-afternoon phone call one year ago when he was home in Florida, playing video games. Hobbs' agent wanted to know how quick he could get to the airport. It was about 4 p.m. The plane flight left at 5:50. "I didn't even bring any bags," Hobbs said. "I just went straight to the airport." A year later, Hobbs is not only still here, but the cornerback is not going anywhere other than up on Seattle's depth chart considering the way he has played during the team's offseason workouts."

"In his 1988 biography, "The Boz," Brian Bosworth dubbed former Seahawks defensive coordinator Tom Catlin "the most serious man on the planet." The stoic Catlin, who died Saturday at 76 of complications from a recent surgery, could be that. But he also was so much more. That's what Dave Wyman remembered Tuesday, after Catlin's death was made public by his brother, Charles. "He was the best coach I ever had. He really was," said Wyman, a linebacker who played for Catlin from 1987-92."

"A year ago, Kevin Hobbs was an afterthought. Just another cornerback who had been re-signed to pad out the Seahawks' 80-man roster. The only thought attached to guard Mansfield Wrotto, meanwhile, was: Why did the Seahawks draft this guy? But as the Seahawks' final minicamp moves into its final two practices Wednesday and Thursday, Hobbs and Wrotto are the most improved players in their respective units and showing that they are capable of contributing this season. Like the play Hobbs made Tuesday, when he was beaten on a route by wide receiver Jordan Kent, only to recover and tip the pass incomplete."

"Lofa Tatupu is going to court. The Seahawks linebacker is scheduled to be arraigned on June 17 in Kirkland Municipal Court on a charge of driving under the influence. At that hearing, Tatupu's attorneys will likely enter a not guilty plea. Tatupu, a team captain, was arrested May 10 after taking three field-sobriety tests and declining to take a portable breathalyzer. His blood-alcohol content was measured at 0.155 and 0.158 in breath tests administered at the Kirkland Police Department."

"Lofa Tatupu is scheduled to be arraigned on June 17 in Kirkland Municipal Court on a charge of driving while intoxicated. Tatupu was arrested on May 10 after taking three field-sobriety tests and declining to take a portable Breathalyzer. His blood-alcohol content was measured at 0.155 and 0.158 in breath tests administered at the Kirkland Police Department."

"Frustration was starting to become Rob Sims' unwanted companion. That will happen when you're a football player who can't play football because you're recovering from the first surgery of your career. But Sims was back where he belongs -- and the Seahawks need him -- on Monday, lining up at right guard when the team's final minicamp reconvened after a three-day weekend. Sims had been sidelined since May 6, when he had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee."

"Lofa Tatupu, the Seahawks' Pro Bowl middle linebacker, has been charged with driving under the influence of alcohol. The charge stems from his May 10 arrest in Kirkland. He has an arraignment June 17 in Kirkland Municipal Court. Tatupu participated in the club's minicamp practice Monday. The team had no comment. Tatupu was arrested May 10 after he was clocked speeding in a 35 mph speed limit zone at 2 a.m. He declined to take a field sobriety test, but registered a 0.1555 and 0.1558 -- nearly twice the state limit of 0.08 -- at the police station."

"On Monday, Bobby Engram missed his fifth practice of the Seahawks' voluntary minicamp after missing all four days of last month's voluntary minicamp. He figures to miss the final three days this week, and could be a no-show when the Seahawks open training camp in late July. It's all because the Seahawks' best receiver wants a new contract and, man, is he showing them. His case isn't idiotic -- Engram led the team in receptions last year and during their Super Bowl season. He makes about half as much as Deion Branch and Nate Burleson, one of whom is injured and one of whom has not been worth all those millions since arriving from Minnesota."

"Wide receiver Bobby Engram confirmed Sunday night that a training-camp holdout is a possibility. Engram was the Seahawks' leading receiver last season with 94 catches and has one year remaining on his contract. He is scheduled to make $1.7 million, but would like an extension added to the deal. He has not participated in the team's voluntary workouts, which resume for the Seahawks today. Engram did not say he would hold out if his contract is not reworked, he only confirmed that a training-camp holdout remains possible. "That's basically the story," Engram said."

"Marcus Trufant might never be a vocal leader for the Seahawks defense. But five NFL seasons, a big, new six-year contract, a Pro Bowl and being the second-most tenured Seahawk on defense speak loud and clear. Only defensive tackle Rocky Bernard has been a Seahawk longer among those defensive players atop the depth chart. And over those five seasons, the 27-year-old has grown both as a player and a person."

"In 16 seasons as an NFL head coach -- seven in Green Bay, nine in Seattle -- Mike Holmgren has never started a rookie tight end. Why? Holmgren is the first to admit that it is difficult for a rookie to play the position in his offense because so much is asked of the tight end. But that said, this rookie-less streak is expected to end this fall in Holmgren's final season with the Seahawks. Straddling this historic situation is John Carlson, the tight end from Notre Dame the Seahawks selected in the second round of the draft, trading up 17 spots to ensure getting him."

"Darryl Tapp could easily choose to narrow his sights on fending off competition this offseason to keep his place with Patrick Kerney atop the depth chart at defensive end. Becoming a full-time starter in just his second NFL season solidified his role on the Seahawks and made him a marked man for the backups. Only worrying about such things just wouldn't be Tapp. He's all about making sure his teammates know that he supports them."

"As Lofa Tatupu tipped and then intercepted a pass intended for fullback Leonard Weaver, fellow linebackers Julian Peterson and Leroy Hill celebrated the play as if it had clinched a playoff berth for the Seahawks. At seemingly the same instant that wide receiver Courtney Taylor slipped to the turf, assistant defensive backs coach Larry Marmie hollered, "Pick it, Tru." And cornerback Marcus Trufant did just that. After Josh Wilson had jammed a receiver to force an incompletion, secondary coach Jim Mora raced toward the second-year cornerback to give him a hand slap and offer, "That's it. You've got it figured out." All this action, and excitement, came not in late December, but in ..."

"The Mohawk hairstyle Nate Burleson is sporting isn't the only reason he stands out for the Seahawks. "I figured I might as well do it," said Burleson, one of four Seahawks wearing the hairdo. "It's getting hot out here, and when the heat comes, it's kind of crazy." The summer heat has yet to arrive. But the heat, as in pressure, is on for the Seahawks' crew of wide receivers. For now, Burleson is their veteran leader."

"If you think the weather Tuesday morning was dreary, imagine how Marcus Trufant felt when he found out the Seahawks were moving their minicamp practice to -- of all places -- the indoor facility at the University of Washington. Trufant is six years removed from Washington State University, but remains a Cougar -- to the point where it's difficult for the Seahawks' Pro Bowl cornerback to even drive past Husky Stadium when he crosses the Evergreen Point Bridge."

"McLaren doesn't want to say what the public can see with three layers of gauze over its many eyes: Sexson has been borderline helpless at the plate. For almost a year and a half. And it's dragging down the team. It's time for the Mariners to release him."

"With leading receiver Bobby Engram still a no-show in hopes of getting a contract extension and starting flanker Deion Branch still recovering from reconstructive knee surgery, the Seahawks passing game is in the hands of Nate Burleson and a foursome that has become known as "the young guys" -- Payne and recent late-round draft choices Ben Obomanu (2006) and Courtney Taylor and Jordan Kent (2007). "I've said this time and again, all I can ask for in my football career are opportunities," Payne said after practice. "Right now, we have a great opportunity.""

"Rocky Bernard was granted a two-week continuance on the pretrial hearing for his domestic-violence arrest. His hearing will be June 16 at Seattle Municipal Court. Bernard pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor charge of domestic-violence assault, which came from his arrest in April on a domestic-violence charge. Bernard, a defensive tackle with the Seahawks the past six seasons, appeared in Seattle Municipal Court on Monday morning. His attorney, Jon Scott Fox, requested the continuance, which was granted by the judge."

"Matt Hasselbeck's most reliable receiver, Bobby Engram, is threatening to prolong a no-show aimed at getting a contract extension, and his highest-paid receiver, Deion Branch, is continuing to rehab from knee surgery. Three-fifths of Hasselbeck's starting offensive line also is on the mend -- left tackle Walter Jones, center Chris Spencer and right guard Rob Sims. His running game is in transition, following the release of Shaun Alexander and the free-agent additions of Julius Jones and T.J. Duckett. His best option at the all-important tight end position, John Carlson, is a rookie. So why is Hasselbeck smiling? It's all relative to the Seahawks' quarterback."

"NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has worked hard to bring his players' behavior under control. Or at least as much under control as possible. Now, he is turning his attention to fan behavior, saying last week he is working with teams on ways to bring out-of-line fans in line and make games more enjoyable for all fans. Details of how the commish plans to do this are forthcoming, but we thought we'd offer our help in the form of these 10 recommendations:"

"Craig Terrill can play. Football -- and a mean electric guitar. For all the times the Seahawks defensive tackle has had to win a roster spot during training camp, there is one spot he has won hands down -- the spotlight. Terrill, 27, is a quality musician. To be clear, football comes first. He has played in 47 games and has five sacks, though he might be best known for the three blocked field goals he has as a Seahawk. But playing in his current band, which has had three live gigs, is more than just something to pass the time."

"All kidding aside, the third-year pro is getting an education of his own as he makes the move from left guard — where he started all 16 regular-season games last season — to right guard, now that the Seahawks have signed veteran Mike Wahle to be the left guard. "At first I was kind of upset," Sims admitted when asked about switching positions. "I thought I had proven that I can be the left guard here for a long time. After that, I kind of was excited for the challenge. It's just something new that I can add to my career and say that I did.""

"Gary Wright never has been the retiring sort. As the Seahawks' public relations director and vice president of administration for the past 32 years, this is a man who knows everyone in the National Football League... Yet now that it's time, now that one of the Seahawks' last original employees has decided to call it a career, he can't quite pull the string. Wright, 63, will step away from the Seahawks next Friday, but his original retirement plans have been waylaid by a new challenge as he'll run the business operations of the Sounders FC franchise when it begins play next year in Major League Soccer."

"There are many questions, only a few of which will be answered here. If I'm 25 and have a $42 million contract like Tatupu does, I'm going out once in a while and getting hammered, too. But if you're him, why wouldn't you get a cab or a limo or hire someone to be your designated driver or have one of the four passengers in your 2006 Hyundai Accent drive you home? And what's a multimillionaire doing driving a Hyundai Accent? Apparently that's someone else's car, maybe his girlfriend's. In a Go 2 Guy column that profiled Tatupu last December, he said he drove a 2008 Cadillac CTS-V with a Corvette engine. "I like to go fast," he said at the time."

"Not Lofa. Not the finest, most trustworthy, young Seahawk. Not the $42 million linebacker who will soon be the face of the franchise. If Lofa Tatupu can wind up in handcuffs, it can happen to any athlete, no matter the amount of integrity in his veins. In a sports world dependent on 20-something stars, you cannot avoid embarrassing mistakes. They are inevitable, and for a Seahawks team that boasts making character-based decisions, this is a humbling reminder that it can never excuse itself from the NFL's troubling character dilemma."

"Chas Gessner is getting another shot with an NFL team after the Seahawks signed the 6-foot-5, 220-pound wide receiver to a two-year contract. Gessner was placed on an exempt list by the Orlando Predators of the Arena Football League on Tuesday so he could sign with Seattle. The 26-year-old was originally signed by the New England Patriots before the 2003 season, and has spent time with the Berlin Thunder of NFL Europe and on the practice squads of the New York Jets (2004) and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2006-2007)."

"Seahawks linebacker Lofa Tatupu apologized to his family, teammates and fans Tuesday after Kirkland police reported he was arrested last weekend on suspicion of drunken driving. A Kirkland officer estimated that Tatupu, 25, was driving at least 15 mph over the 35 mph speed limit before he was stopped Saturday outside a McDonald's restaurant in the 12400 block of Northeast 85th Street, according to a police report."

"Seahawks linebacker Lofa Tatupu was arrested Saturday on suspicion of driving while intoxicated. His blood-alcohol content was measured to be nearly twice the legal limit. Tatupu, 25, played the past three seasons for the Seahawks and served as one of the defensive captains the past two years. He released a statement through the team Tuesday apologizing for what he characterized as a "poor decision.""

"Seahawks linebacker Lofa Tatupu was arrested Saturday for investigation of driving while intoxicated. Tatupu was arrested in Kirkland at about 2:30 Saturday morning after an officer observed his car driving at what the officer estimated was in excess of 50 mph in a 35-mph zone."

"One thing that kicker Josh Brown figured he'd left behind when he signed a free-agent deal with the Rams was the damp environs of Seattle, where he'd spent his first five NFL seasons. He hasn't seen many blue skies since arriving here, though. "This is a lot of rain; I'm sick of rain," Brown said at minicamp this past weekend. "But that's what happens in the Midwest in April and May. I'm just glad no tornadoes are coming by right now.""

"The best thing that can be said about Craig Terrill's CD is that it doesn't need the obvious disclaimer. You know, it's good ... for a football player. On "CT," the Seahawks' fifth-year defensive tackle has created a collection of reflective songs that are just good. Period. Terrill will be showcasing his talents as a singer and guitarist during a concert Monday night at The Triple Door."