If an Eastern Washington University helmet wasn’t enough to make this Seahawks signing feel like a homecoming, then the vintage Pearl Jam T-shirt—layered under a flannel—certainly reinforced the message. Everything about this moment pointed to a return that felt inevitable for Seattle’s newest addition.
For the newest member of the Seahawks, signing with Seattle is more than just a career move—it’s a reunion with the place that shaped him. Raised in Yakima, he stayed in-state for college, putting up record-setting numbers at Eastern Washington University. But his Washington roots run even deeper. His father was a standout quarterback at Pacific Lutheran University, where he played under the legendary coach Frosty Westering. His mother also left her mark at PLU, starring in soccer and earning a place in the school’s Athletics Hall of Fame alongside her husband. The family’s athletic legacy extends further—his grandfather played at the University of Washington, continuing a multi-generational connection to football in the state. Even his love story ties back to home, as he met his wife at a high school track meet when they were students at Davis High School and Richland High School, respectively.
Now, after eight remarkable seasons in the NFL, he returns to the team he once cheered for as a kid. His career has been nothing short of stellar—earning Super Bowl MVP honors, an Associated Press Offensive Player of the Year award, All-Pro and Pro Bowl selections, and amassing 7,776 receiving yards. But beyond the accolades, this move is about something more personal: coming home to play in front of the fans and communities that have supported him from the very beginning.
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