Stephen Hauschka To Retire
Although Stephen Hauschka kicked in a game earlier this year, he has decided 13 NFL seasons is enough. The veteran kicker announced his retirement Friday (via Instagram).
Best known for his run in Seattle, Hauschka kicked for five teams — the Ravens, Broncos, Seahawks, Bills and Jaguars — and initially landed in the NFL as a Vikings UDFA in 2008. Now 35, Hauschka will call it quits after 166 games.
Hauschka’s six-season Seahawks stay enabled him to kick in two Super Bowls, the first of which earning him a ring, and 11 playoff games. However, his postseason career began in three Ravens playoff games in 2008. Hauschka was not Baltimore’s placekicker in those games, however.
He went a perfect 8-for-8 on field goals during Seattle’s run to Super Bowl XLVIII — including two 40-plus-yarders in the Seahawks’ 23-17 win over the 49ers in the NFC title game — and also made a field goal in Super Bowl XLIX. He only missed one field goal in a playoff game, ending his postseason career 24-for-25 in January and February. Hauschka went 4-for-4 in last season’s Bills-Texans wild-card game. In the regular season, he finishes his career with an 85.2% make rate — 16th all time — with a long of 58 (in 2014).
After two seasons with 90%-plus accuracy on field goals in Seattle, Hauschka signed two Bills contracts — the second of which coming via 2019 extension — and kicked with Buffalo for three seasons. The Bills released the veteran earlier this year, opting to go with rookie Tyler Bass. The Jaguars cut Hauschka after one game this season.
Rashaad Penny To Practice Next Week
Despite on-brand injury optimism from Pete Carroll in September, Rashaad Penny was not able to return by midseason. But a more concrete Penny status update emerged Friday.
The third-year running back will “for sure” return to practice next week, Carroll said (via the Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta, on Twitter). Stashed on the PUP list, Penny has not played since suffering an ACL tear last December. And the Seahawks have seen injury issues crop up at running back this season.
Both Chris Carson and 2020 Penny stand-in Carlos Hyde have missed time due to injuries this season, leading to Seattle relying more on Russell Wilson earlier in the year. The team still ranks 24th in rushing attempts (but 11th in yardage) entering Week 13. With Penny and Chris Carson handling ball-carrying duties last season, the Seahawks logged the third-most rushing attempts and ranked fourth on the ground. Penny boasted a team-high 5.7 yards per carry, gaining 370 yards on the ground last season, but the former first-round pick has played behind Carson throughout his career.
The Seahawks will need to decide on Penny’s fifth-year option by May. Although Carson’s contract expires at season’s end, it may still be a stretch for Seattle to pick up Penny’s option — since the 2018 first-round class will have their options fully guaranteed. Previous Round 1 picks’ options were guaranteed for injury only. Penny, 24, does have a career 5.3 yards-per-carry average and low mileage (150 carries). A late-season return would help the San Diego State alum get his career back on track.
NFL Reinstates Seahawks’ Josh Gordon
Josh Gordon will receive yet another chance. Three months after re-signing with the Seahawks, Gordon received notice the NFL reinstated him, Jay Glazer of Fox Sports tweets.
Another Gordon suspension ended his initial Seahawks stint in December 2019. Despite being connected to Antonio Brown throughout the offseason, Seattle ended up bringing Gordon back. He will have an opportunity to contribute this season.
The former Browns and Patriots starter will not be eligible to return until Week 16. He can begin taking COVID-19 tests with the Seahawks on Friday, rejoin the team Dec. 9 and resume practicing Dec. 21.
One of the most frequently suspended players in modern American sports history, Gordon has received bans in each of the past two Decembers for violations of the NFL’s substance-abuse policy. The league’s new CBA created a more lenient reality for non-PED drug violations, but the 29-year-old wideout’s case dragged into December nonetheless. Gordon is a unique case. The former All-Pro has been suspended nine times since his NFL career began in 2012. While not all of those bans stemmed from the substance-abuse policy, most did.
Several frequent NFL policy violators have faded off the league’s radar, but Gordon has persisted in his pursuit to continue his career. He and Roger Goodell were in communication lately, per NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo (on Twitter), preceding the embattled talent’s latest reinstatement.
Gordon has not shown his peak form in a while, but he will supply Russell Wilson with another weapon as the Seahawks attempt to secure their first NFC West title since 2016. In 11 games with the Pats and Seahawks last season, Gordon caught 27 passes for 426 yards and a touchdown. His yards-per-catch average increased significantly, bumping to 19.9, in five Seahawks games. While Gordon did not finish the 2018 season, he collected a Super Bowl ring after averaging 18 yards per catch (40 catches, 720 yards, three TDs).
This year, the former supplemental draftee will join a team that has one of the NFL’s premier wide receivers. D.K. Metcalf has taken a noticeable step forward, leading the league with 1,039 receiving yards. Metcalf, Gordon, Tyler Lockett and David Moore stand to comprise one of the league’s top receiving stables entering the playoffs. Gordon has never participated in a playoff game.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/2/20
Here are Wednesday’s practice squad moves:
Houston Texans
- Signed: WR J’Mon Moore, CB Manny Patterson
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: DB Tae Hayes
New York Jets
- Activated from practice squad injured list: WR D.J. Montgomery
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: DT Myles Adams, WR Darvin Kidsy
Washington Football Team
- Activated from practice squad injured list: RB Javon Leake
Ravens, Packers Showed Interest In Snacks Harrison
- Prior to being signed to the Seahawks active roster, it sounds like defensive tackle Damon Harrison was generating some interest from around the league. NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports (via Twitter) that both the Packers and Ravens tried to sign “Snacks.” Since Seattle could no longer elevate the veteran, they decided to protect him and offered a spot on their active roster. Harrison, a former All-Pro nose tackle, hooked on with Seattle’s practice squad in October. After taking some time to get back into playing shape, Snacks is ready to be a contributor on clear running downs.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/23/20
Today’s practice squad moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: RB Tony Brooks-James, WR Devin Gray
Las Vegas Raiders
- Released: DT Datone Jones
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: CB DeMarkus Acy, C Brad Lundblade
- Placed on IR: RB Bo Scarbrough, TE/DE Stephen Sullivan
Washington Football Team
- Placed on COVID-19 list: RB Javon Leake
Seahawks Place Greg Olsen On IR, Promote Snacks Harrison
The Seahawks have formally placed tight end Greg Olsen on injured reserve. To fill his spot on the active roster, they’ve promoted defensive tackle Damon Harrison. In addition, running back Bo Scarbrough has also been parked on IR.
Olsen was diagnosed with plantar fascia issue last week, an injury that could prevent him from returning this season. For his part, Olsen is hoping to recover quickly and return in the playoffs, though that would probably require the Seahawks to reach the NFC title game or the Super Bowl. With that in mind, it’s possible that the 35-year-old has played his final down in the NFL. Olsen has flirted with retirement for the last few years and he has a gig waiting for him at FOX Sports whenever he decides to hang ’em up.
Harrison, a former All-Pro nose tackle, hooked on with Seattle’s practice squad in October. After taking some time to get back into playing shape, Snacks is ready to be a contributor on clear running downs. In his peak years with the Jets, Giants, and Lions, Harrison was one of the game’s premiere run stuffers. He’s also been able to get after the quarterback when needed, as shown by his eleven career sacks.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/21/20
Here are the latest practice squad moves from around the league:
Atlanta Falcons
- Placed on practice squad reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Laquon Treadwell
Baltimore Ravens
- Released: TE Xavier Grimble
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: K Taylor Bertolet, LB Daniel Bituli
Cincinnati Bengals
- Activated from practice squad reserve/COVID-19 list: S Trayvon Henderson
- Placed on practice squad reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Stanley Morgan
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: RB Craig Reynolds
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: K Tristan Vizcaino
New England Patriots
- Signed: DT Akeem Spence
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: DB DeMarkus Acy
Brandon Mebane Announces Retirement
Longtime Seahawks and Chargers defensive tackle Brandon Mebane announced he will retire after 13 seasons.
The former Super Bowl starter called it quits via Facebook (Twitter link via SI.com’s Fernando Ramirez). This comes eight months after the Bolts released Mebane following a four-season stay.
Mebane, 35, enjoyed a lengthy career, coming into the league as a Seahawks third-round pick in 2007 and remaining a starter for almost all of the next 13 seasons. Mebane started 176 games in his career, with his most memorable stretch coming during the Seahawks’ 2010s ascent.
Drafted during Seattle’s Tim Ruskell–Mike Holmgren regime, Mebane became an instant starter. He remained in that role through the 2015 season. During that time, the Seahawks made five postseason trips and won Super Bowl XLVIII. The Seahawks became the first team in the post-merger era to rank first in scoring defense in four straight seasons, doing so from 2012-15. Mebane graded as one of the NFL’s best defensive linemen during Seattle’s 2013 Super Bowl-winning season, in the view of Pro Football Focus.
Mebane did not play in Super Bowl XLIX, with a hamstring tear sidelining him midway through the 2014 season, but landed a three-year, $13.5MM deal with the Chargers in 2016. He ended up agreeing to two Bolts deals, the second one in 2019, and working as a starter for four seasons. While Mebane largely functioned as a run-stopping interior defender, he recorded a career-high 5.5 sacks and 18 quarterback hits in 2008. He notched a career-high 56 tackles for the 2012 Seahawks.
Seahawks’ Greg Olsen Suffers Fascia Tear
Seahawks tight end Greg Olsen has been diagnoses with a a plantar fascia injury, according to head coach Pete Carroll. The injury could spell the end of Olsen’s season and, in turn, his career. For his part, Olsen is hoping to recover in time for the playoffs, though the Seahawks would probably have to make a deep run to make that happen (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). 
Olsen suffered the non-contact injury in the fourth quarter of last night’s game and had to be helped to the sidelines. Even before he was carted into the locker room, team doctors knew that Olsen’s injury was fairly serious.
The 35-year-old joined the Seahawks on a one-year, $7MM deal this offseason, though he also has a placeholder deal with FOX Sports to start his broadcasting career once he’s done playing. Olsen also experienced foot trouble late in his Panthers tenure. He missed 16 games between the 2017-18 campaigns because of multiple foot issues. After lots of rehab, he managed to play in 14 games last year.
In nine Panthers seasons, Olsen cemented himself as one the best players in franchise history. He eclipsed 1,000 yards en route to three Pro Bowls from 2014-16 and helped the Panthers to a 15-1 season that produced an NFC championship. From 2007 through 2019, Olsen registered 8,444 receiving yards — third-most in the NFL among tight ends in that span. With the Seahawks, he’s caught 23 passes for 224 yards and one touchdown through ten games.