Seattle practice squad player left stranded in Southern California

  • Scott M. Johnson / Herald Writer
  • Monday, September 17, 2001 9:00pm
  • Sports

By Scott M. Johnson

Herald Writer

KIRKLAND – The closed-off airways that were one of the many subplots of last week’s terrorist attacks prevented Seahawks rookie Bruce Wiggins from taking part in two practices.

Wiggins, a practice squad center, had flown to San Diego last Monday night to spend the off day with his brother, and was scheduled to return to Seattle on Tuesday evening. But when air travel was shut down, Wiggins had to rent a car and make the 20-hour drive up I-5.

He didn’t arrive until Thursday afternoon, too late to attend either of last week’s practices. While Wiggins frantically drove back to Seattle, veteran offensive linemen Robbie Tobeck and Chris Gray alternated repetitions with the Seahawks’ No. 2 offense.

“Really more than anything, I was just worried about getting back so those guys wouldn’t have to take my reps on the scout team,” said Wiggins, a rookie from the University of Arizona. “(The Seahawks) hired me to be on the scout team.”

Wiggins said he definitely learned a lesson.

“I felt really bad about missing the week and putting the older guys in a situation where they had to take my reps, but the situation was beyond my control,” he said. “I’ll tell you what, I won’t be spending any more weeks out of town. If people want to see me, they’re going to have to come up here.”

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