RENTON — Aaron Curry was finally in a Seahawks uniform Saturday afternoon, and after a week of sitting out training camp, he said it was time for him to join his team.
“Some things you can only stay away from for so long,” said Curry. “I just knew that today would be my day I might have lost it if I didn’t have a helmet and some cleats.”
Curry called Saturday his “mental deadline” for getting into practice, and that deadline was met when his agents and the Seahawks agreed to a six-year deal that, according to ESPN’s John Clayton, is worth $60 million with $34 million in guaranteed money.
“It was a conversation from the moment I was drafted to when the negotiations started,” Curry said when asked if he told his agents of his self-imposed deadline. “I told them that I could only (holdout) for so long. This is the game I was born to do and I love doing. I just couldn’t be away from the team for so long.”
The deal wasn’t finalized until Saturday afternoon, and minutes after the contract was signed, Curry jogged onto the field to join his team. He was welcomed with a standing ovation from the fans at the open practice.
“It was cool to hear everybody cheer and be happy that I’m here, and I’m just as excited to be out here,” Curry said. “Just to see the emotion from the fans and to be back with my team is an amazing feeling.”
His agent, Andy Ross, said negotiations had been going nearly non-stop for the last 24 hours, and that the deal was finalized just minutes before Curry took the field.
His teammates didn’t even know Curry would be joining them for the day’s practice.
“I hadn’t heard anything, so that was a bit of a shock,” said middle linebacker Lofa Tatupu. “I heard the roar of the crowd, that’s what kind of alerted us, then the announcement. I don’t think anybody’s ever got announced coming out to practice.”
And while Curry may now be a rich man — $34 million is the richest guarantee for a rookie non-quarterback in NFL history — that doesn’t mean he’s not a rookie. Curry walked off the field carrying five helmets: his plus those of linebackers Lofa Tatupu, Leroy Hill, Lance Laury and David Hawthorne.
“That’s just the beginning,” Tatupu said with a grin.
A bit of hazing aside, however, Curry was all smiles as he talked about getting on the field for the first time in training camp.
Curry said he spent the last week in Bellevue with his wife Jamila “doing household stuff,” but that it was hard to be away from his team. He even joked that he thought about trying to sneak into the practice facility to watch.
“It was very tough,” he said. “Just not being able to come out and participate and do what I love doing. Knowing that I should be out there, it was a long week, but it’s just the business part of the game that I think everybody understands.
Seahawks president Tim Ruskell said it was important to get Curry signed to a six-year deal — most rookie contracts for first-round picks are five-year deals — because the team wants the linebacker to be a part of its long-term plans and because of the amount of money involved.
“We were adamant on the length of the deal, and that isn’t the way the other deals have been going, so once that was accepted I think that was the turning point,” Ruskell said. “These deals are so big, so we just wanted to get as much time as we can, have him be a Seahawk for a long time.”
Curry’s goal now is to make up for lost time after missing the first eight days of camp.
“Eight days and 12 practices, he’s got a lot of catching up to do,” Seahawks coach Jim Mora said.
Tatupu isn’t worried about Curry being too far behind.
“He’s bright,” Tatupu said. “He’s not going to have a problem catching up … He’ll be fine. Anything he needs help with, myself and Leroy (Hill), we’ll be happy to help him out.”
Besides, Tatupu added, linebacker isn’t the hardest position to figure out.
“It’s not rocket science over here, you hit the man with the ball,” he said. “I mean, I don’t want to say our job is that easy, but it’s not like he’s playing quarterback or something.”
McMullen waived
Curry’s signing meant somebody had to go to clear a roster spot, and that player ended up being receiver Billy McMullen. McMullen played four games for the Seahawks last year, catching seven passes for 124 yards.
Injury report
Cornerback Marcus Trufant and left tackle Walter Jones were out again with back injuries. Mora said Trufant is getting better, but didn’t put a timetable on his return. He said he expects Jones back soon, but that he won’t play in the first preseason game next weekend.
Guard Grey Ruegamer started practice but left with an elbow injury. Defensive end Cory Redding is still sore and sitting out, but should be back soon, Mora said. Linebacker Will Herring was out with a groin injury, and linebacker D.D. Lewis was given a day off to rest his knee.
Center Chris Spencer, who went down with an ankle injury Friday morning and had to be carted off, may return in the next few days as well.
“We dodged a bullet there,” Mora said.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
