By SCOTT M. JOHNSON
Herald Writer
KIRKLAND – A lot of memories will be intertwined when Warren Moon makes his final NFL appearance in Seattle this weekend. It will be his last game against the Seahawks and his final trip to Husky Stadium as a player.
Now if only he could actually play in the game.
“I’m just looking forward to playing,” said Moon, whose first action of the season came in the second half of last week’s 54-34 win over the St. Louis Rams.
“It really doesn’t matter who we’re playing against, just being out on the field. That was fun last week. Whether I get on the field this week or not remains to be seen. I’m just going to prepare like I try to prepare every week and be ready when my number’s called.”
Starter Elvis Grbac practiced Wednesday after injuring his elbow in the win, so it looks as if Moon will spend his final Sunday afternoon at Husky Stadium as a backup. That’s not the most fitting ending for Moon, who threw for 3,277 yards at the University of Washington and 5,310 in two seasons with the Seahawks.
“It’s almost like I’m going full circle,” Moon, 43, said. “I started my career there and I possibly will end it in my last year having a chance to play in there. So that will be great. It’s always good to come back to the university. It’s always good to come back to that part of the country. I really plan on moving back up there as soon as my playing days are done here.”
Moon said he’s hoping to get a job in television or in an NFL front office after his retirement. He is 815 yards away from being the third quarterback in NFL history to throw for 50,000 yards.
Moon announced before this season that it would be his last.
“He’s going to do what he does within the framework of our offense,” Holmgren said.
Kitna lost the starting job after an underwhelming 140-yard passing performance in a 24-17 loss to the same Kansas City Chiefs on Oct. 2. Holmgren opted to go with Brock Huard in part because Kitna did not throw enough deep passes.
But on Wednesday, Holmgren shuddered at descriptions of Kitna’s play as “conservative” and “hesitant.”
When relayed a comment made in Moon’s conference call that Kitna looked “gun shy” this season, Holmgren took particular exception.
“On certain throws down the field, deep passes specifically, I would like him to cut it loose and take some chances on that ball,” Holmgren said. “In no way was he playing scared or gun shy. Very, very poor choice of words. … Being hesitant or gun shy to me means some sort of fear factor. There’s nothing there.”
Huard has been sidelined by a concussion and did not practice Wednesday. He is listed as questionable (50/50) on the team’s injury report and will be further evaluated today. Although it looks as if he won’t be available for Sunday’s game, Holmgren said Wednesday: “There’s an outside chance he could play.”
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