Michael Boulware has never been one to work under the radar.
He grew up in the shadow of older brother Peter, who starred at Florida State and with the Baltimore Ravens. He followed Peter to FSU, then became a high-profile, second-round pick of the Seattle Seahawks last April.
So it wouldn’t be like Michael Boulware to grow into a new position without anyone taking notice. With an NFC-high three interceptions and one of the most replayed hits of the early season, Boulware has already made a name for himself this year.
“He’s kind of blossoming in front of America,” teammate Isaiah Kacyvenski said. “He’s been making big plays.”
The biggest – both in volume and importance – came last week when the Seahawks were engaged in a tight battle with the New England Patriots. Boulware came from behind to crunch Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, knocking both ball and helmet into the air in the process.
“Brady was trying to go for it, to get a first down for his team,” Seahawks cornerback Bobby Taylor said. “And he paid for it.”
Teammate Rashad Moore jumped on the loose ball, and what appeared to be a New England first down late in the game was suddenly a turnover. Boulware’s fourth-quarter hit helped prevent the Patriots from getting into field goal range, but the Seahawks eventually lost 30-20.
The mild-mannered Boulware didn’t do any celebrating after the hit, although he couldn’t contain his smile when he saw it replayed over and over on highlight shows all last week.
“Right when I hit (Brady), it dazed me; I kind of blacked out for a second,” Boulware said. “Then out of the corner of my eye, I saw the helmet. And that took away all my pain.”
It was one of those right-place-right-time hits that could have been dismissed to luck. Could have been, except the rookie safety has made those kinds of plays all year.
“That dude is so blessed, it’s ridiculous,” running back Shaun Alexander said. “He’s always in the right place at the right time. People need to rub elbows with that kid, so maybe it will rub off.
“There are just some guys who have that extra oomph, and Mike’s got it. I don’t know what it is, or what it’s called, but he’s got it.”
Just look at Boulware’s three interceptions. All came at opportune moments of the game, when the Seahawks needed someone to make a play.
Boulware’s first two interceptions were off tipped passes by Grant Wistrom, each of them falling into his arms in the second halves of close ball games. The first one set up an insurance touchdown in Seattle’s 21-7 win over New Orleans, while Boulware helped clinch a 10-6 victory over Tampa Bay the next week with another timely pick.
He added a third interception last Sunday, diving in front of a Brady pass to get his hands on the ball. That turnover came on New England’s first drive after the Brady fumble, setting up a Seahawks touchdown.
“I don’t really have an explanation for it at all,” Boulware said of his penchant for being in the right spot. “I just keep playing as hard as I can, and the Lord has put the ball in my hands.”
It even happens at practice. Boulware made the most spectacular catch of the entire training camp when he reached his hands above his head, on a dead sprint, and blindly plucked a Matt Hasselbeck pass out of the air. Afterward, Hasselbeck called it “probably the best catch I’ve ever seen in my life.”
Boulware was at it again Friday, when a ball bounced off the hands of a Seahawks receiver and the safety plucked it out of the air by his fingertips – a few inches from the turf.
“Those two plays I consider my miracles plays,” Boulware said of the practice interceptions. “I look at it like there was something greater than me that helped me out, because I don’t know how I did them. But it counts in the record book, so I’ll take them.”
Boulware’s playmaking ability is even more amazing when considering how little he plays. As a backup safety, Boulware is being used primarily as a nickel linebacker on passing downs. He probably hasn’t been on the field for half of Seattle’s defensive plays, yet he’s made four of their most important plays this season.
“Things are really happening for Mike,” Taylor said. “I think he’ll keep doing it, because he’s definitely a hard worker. A lot of the plays he’s made have been at critical times in the game. I hope he keeps on keeping on, because we need all of them. And maybe a little bit more.”
The highlight plays have made Boulware’s transition to the NFL impossible to keep under wraps. But he still can’t come out from under one shadow.
While Michael Boulware used to try to make a name for himself apart from older brother Peter, he still finds it impossible to completely break off on his own.
“The Boulware name, he’s always going to be associated with it,” he said of Peter, a 29-year-old linebacker with the Ravens. “I’m not trying to so much separate myself from him. I’m more trying to take our name to the next level.
“He’s an exceptional athlete, and he’s doing some things that I could never accomplish. I can be his little brother, but I’m definitely going to be someone to be remembered as well.”
He’s already created some lasting memories.
“I’m living a dream,” Boulware said. “I’m truly blessed.”
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