Seahawks' Stevens ready to move on
TE recovering from injury, Super malaise
By CLARE FARNSWORTH
P-I REPORTER
CHENEY -- Jerramy Stevens' bothersome left knee passed every physical test necessary to get the explosive tight end back on the football field Wednesday for the first time since the Super Bowl in February.
It's his mental well-being from an implosive performance in the Seahawks' loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers that has coach Mike Holmgren concerned even after Stevens took his next step back from arthroscopic surgery in April.
"We did have a pretty in-depth discussion about how you bounce back from something, and he's listening," Holmgren said. "The disappointment lingers certainly, particularly with a player that cares, and he cares. He was very disappointed and he felt bad.
"And that's a good thing."
So is getting Stevens back in pads, which will allow him to continue putting the game against the Steelers behind him. He will not play in Saturday night's preseason opener against the Dallas Cowboys at Qwest Field, but is scheduled to see his first action Aug. 20 against the Colts in Indianapolis.
"You've got to mature and grow from that and keep pushing forward," Stevens said after practice. "Obviously it was rough. But it's something that's behind me now and I'm using that as a shield to go forward."
As they look to defend their NFC championship, the Seahawks need Stevens to be the player who caught 45 passes last season, the second-highest total by a tight end in franchise history, not the one who had more passes go off or through his hands (five) than receptions (three) in the Super Bowl.
The tight end has traditionally played a large role in Holmgren's hybrid of the West Coast offense, and Stevens has the size (6-foot-7, 260 pounds), speed and soft hands to excel like Brent Jones when Holmgren was the San Francisco 49ers' offensive coordinator; and Jackie Harris, Mark Chmura and Keith Jackson during Holmgren's tenure as head coach of the Green Bay Packers.
Stevens damaged the meniscus in his knee during the Seahawks' first playoff victory over the Washington Redskins. It was originally diagnosed as floating particles, Stevens said, and "something that I was just going to work through." But as the discomfort increased, an MRI detected the meniscus damage and he had it repaired.
"The trainers and doctors say he's good to go," Holmgren said. "He's worried up here, in his mind: How's it going to feel? So we've got to get over that hump."
Wednesday was a needed step. Stevens did not participate in the full-team portions of practice, but he looked quick and smooth while running routes and catching the ball in individual drills.
"It's all about strength in my leg and confidence," Stevens said. "It felt good today. It was good to stop while I was ahead. That's the plan, to stop while I'm feeling good every day and try and progress a little bit every day."
The mental anguish from the Super Bowl also should subside as Stevens moves closer to the 2006 season.
"If you're playing this sport, most every play you get hit right in the mouth. How do you handle that?" Holmgren said. "You've got to get back up, and that was on a bigger stage. So I would expect him to bounce back. If a player can't bounce back from things like that, then they don't last very long."
It didn't help that Stevens became an unwitting participant in what turned into a woofing match with Steelers linebacker Joey Porter during the week leading up the Super Bowl.
"I don't feel like I said something that was inappropriate or out of place," Stevens said. "I supported my team and told (reporters) that we were here to win, and I stick by that now."
Stevens would just as soon put it all behind him -- the Super Bowl and the injury.
"I plan on moving forward and doing better and bigger things this year, just use that as a stepping stone," he said. "I've taken one step. I've got to continue to take steps forward."
P-I reporter Clare Farnsworth can be reached at 206-448-8016 or clarefarnsworth@seattlepi.com.
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