KIRKLAND – Teammate Rocky Bernard likened it to a miracle. Coach Mike Holmgren called it “one of the great stories of the year.”
But the man at the center of Friday’s long-overdue return to the practice field had nothing much to say at all.
Safety Ken Hamlin practiced Friday for the first time since suffering head injuries in an October incident at Pioneer Square. While his performance gave no hints that he’d been out of football for nearly seven months, his emotions were left to be deciphered by others.
“He gave me a big smile,” coach Mike Holmgren said. “I was happy to see him out there, he was happy, and everybody was happy to have him out there.”
Hamlin, who will probably address the media in the coming days, had no restrictions on his first day back. He wasn’t even wearing a red, no-contact jersey during the two pad-less practices.
“He got the OK from the doctors – and he’s seen a number of doctors – so I think it’s full speed ahead,” Holmgren said. “I’ve got my fingers crossed, but I think it’s all good.”
Hamlin missed the final 15 weeks of Seattle’s 2005 Super Bowl run after suffering severe head injuries in a fight at Pioneer Square a few hours after the Seahawks’ 42-10 win over Houston on Oct. 16. He spent a few days at Harborview Hospital after experiencing brain hemorrhaging, and his football future was in serious question.
As of Friday morning, Hamlin provided some answers by taking his first step back on the practice field. He even intercepted a David Greene pass during a seven-on-seven drill.
After the practice, teammate Shaun Alexander passed Hamlin and offered: “Hammer, that looked marvelous today.”
“He’s been working his tail off to get back on the field,” defensive tackle Rocky Bernard said, “so it was really good to see him.”
Bernard, who was reported to have been with Hamlin at the time of the October incident, said he was surprised by how far his teammate has come in the past six-plus months.
“When I saw him in the hospital, I thought: Man, will he ever be able to play again?” Bernard said. “But toward the end of the season, seeing him laughing and working out, I said: he’ll probably be back one day.”
On Friday, after a long wait, Hamlin finally was.
Missing Hutch: While the Seahawks are optimistic that Floyd Womack will fill in admirably as the starter, the offense has a different look without four-time Pro Bowler Steve Hutchinson at left guard.
“It’s weird, but that’s the business side of it,” left tackle Walter Jones said. “You have a great season with a guy, and then the next year you’re with a different guy. You just try to mesh together and be ready for the season.”
Womack is currently working at left guard with the No. 1 offense, and Holmgren doesn’t have any plans for the versatile lineman to move. But Womack, who has played both tackle and guard during his NFL career, has learned first-hand that nothing is set in stone.
He spent three consecutive training camps, from 2002-04, filling in at left tackle while Jones was mired in contract disputes. He was slated as the starting right tackle before last season but lost his job after suffering an injury and watching Sean Locklear perform above expectations in his absence.
“Of all the guys on the team, I’m not sure we’ve treated him as fairly as we should have over the years,” Holmgren said. “… Now, hopefully Chop can step in at right guard, stay healthy and be there the whole season.”
Running back Shaun Alexander is among those who believe Womack will be up for the challenge.
“I think he’s going to do great,” the Pro Bowl running back said. “I think he’s going to shock people with how good of a player he is.
“Sometimes when you’re talking about Hutch, you forget that other people are talented. Nothing against Hutch – Hutch is amazing – but it’s not going to be a drop. We’re not worried about that at all.”
A versatile No. 44: New linebacker Julian Peterson showed up at the minicamp in an unfamiliar jersey.
Peterson, who wore No. 98 during his six seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, is wearing No. 44 this year. He said he made the switch because: A) Grant Wistrom already has No. 98; and, B) the No. 44 reflects his versatility.
“Just in case anybody goes down, I’m pretty much a utility player,” said Peterson, who filled in at safety and cornerback during 49ers practices last year. “Hopefully nothing will happen, but there’s a possibility I can go in at safety or whatever – just to help out the team.”
Another new Seahawk, receiver Nate Burleson, is wearing No. 81. He convinced Peter Warrick to surrender that jersey on Friday morning, and now Warrick is wearing No. 83.
“We came to an understanding this morning,” Burleson said. “Nothing big. … My family likes (the No. 81) a lot. I wanted to wear No. 13 because that’s what I wore in high school, but I think I created a new identity (with No. 81), and hopefully I can continue that here.”
Back home: Now that Burleson is back in Seattle, the O’Dea High School product isn’t making such a big deal of his homecoming.
“Now it’s just business as usual,” he said Friday. “When free agency was going on, it was exciting. But now that I’ve actually landed somewhere, and it’s home, going out there and playing football is my job, so nothing’s changed.”
Burleson, who played with the Minnesota Vikings last season, is expected to start at split end during the regular season but spent most of Friday’s practices filling in for injured starting flanker Darrell Jackson.
Quick slants: Warrick isn’t the only returning Seahawk to change jersey numbers. Running back Josh Scobey is now wearing No. 33 after wearing 39 last season. … Marcus Trufant continued to work at right cornerback, where he played last season, while Kelly Herndon played left corner with the No. 1 defense. Rookie first-round pick Kelly Jennings worked behind Herndon with the second defense. … The highlight of Friday’s morning practice might have been when Peterson intercepted a David Greene pass, while veteran tight end Will Heller provided the offensive highlight with a nice catch in traffic on the practice’s final play. … Fullback David Kirtman, a fifth-round pick in last weekend’s draft, injured his left hamstring early in Friday’s morning session and did not return to action. Kirtman is a Mercer Island native whose parents live next door to Holmgren.
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