Shaun Alexander would be in a different uniform in Seattle this time

By Eric D. Williams | Tacoma News-Tribune • Published November 21, 2008

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RENTON — Walter Jones says Shaun Alexander still has some gas left in the tank.

And Jones admitted he’ll feel weird seeing his former teammate on the other sideline in a different uniform on Sunday when the Seattle Seahawks host Washington at Qwest Field.

The 12-year offensive lineman has been a Seahawk his entire career, helping to open up holes for Alexander as he earned league MVP honors in 2005 during the team’s Super Bowl run. Jones was one of the mainstays on an offensive line that paved the way for Alexander to gallop for franchise records in yards (9,429) and touchdowns (100) in his eight years in Seattle.

But now Alexander is a reserve running back for the Redskins, while Jones and the Seahawks have struggled through a surprisingly bad 2-8 season.

And although Alexander has been a lightning rod for criticism by Seahawks fans who sometimes questioned his effort on the field, Jones says he expects more cheers than boos from the Qwest Field faithful.

"He did some great things out here, so there shouldn’t be no boos," said Jones, who still keeps in touch with Alexander. "Things happen. But when he was here he put up good numbers. So you’ve got to cheer for that, you know what I’m saying."

Alexander will return to Qwest for the first time since the Seahawks unceremoniously released him last April after an injury plagued final two seasons that saw him play in only 23 of his final 32 regular-season games in Seattle.

Alexander, 31, said during a 20-minute conference call with Seattle-area reporters on Wednesday that Seahawks team president Tim Ruskell told him that the team was moving in a different direction at running back last February, eventually deciding to bring in Julius Jones and T.J. Duckett to compete for time with Maurice Morris. Alexander, who signed a $62 million deal that paid him $15 million the first season after his superb 2005 campaign, said Ruskell told him he was the odd man out.

"Nobody was happy about the decision," Alexander said. "Coach (Mike) Holmgren and (Seattle offensive coordinator) Gil (Haskell) did not get to make that decision, and it is what it is."

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