Talented Bryant infectious by nature
RENTON – Fat man with an interception.
That’s what Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch called Red Bryant last Sunday.
Bryant let out a rumbling laugh when he told the story, not at all offended by Lynch’s characterization.
“I thought that was the best line,” Bryant said of his teammates’ response to seeing the 340-pound defensive end dishing out stiff-arms and going swivel-hipped after his interception against the St. Louis Rams – the first of Bryant’s career.
“The guys gave me a hard time, but it felt really good,” Bryant said. “It meant a lot the way the guys responded.”
Bryant admitted to having visions of touchdown dances flashing in his mind. “I was trying to get to the end zone … I had tunnel vision,” he said. “I thought I was going to get there.”
His teammates could not have been more enthused if they had been the ones who had come up with the big play.
“That’s what lets you know how much he means to us,” fullback Mike Robinson said. “He’s definitely one of those guys that whenever he makes a play, the people on the sidelines light up.”
It’s also indicative of why he was voted by his teammates as winner of the Ed Block Courage Award last week, given to the player who “exemplifies commitment to the principles of sportsmanship and courage and is recognized as a source of inspiration in the locker room.”
Bryant might have won the award on the strength of his straightforward and humble personality alone, but adding to his worthiness was the way he came back from last year’s season-ending knee injury.
“It’s for guys who display courage,” said back Leon Washington, last year’s Block Award recipient after his inspiring recovery from a gruesome compound fracture of his leg. “And if there’s one guy on this team who displays it each and every day, it’s Red Bryant.”
Washington cited Bryant’s affable nature in the locker room, and burgeoning talents on the field. But it goes deeper, he stressed.
“It’s about his fearlessness, his tenacity, his willingness to be great and to do the right thing every time,” Washington said. “It’s something that is really special, and I haven’t seen that from a lot of people. He’s really a great, great teammate.”
Bryant has been winning over people for a long time. Here’s a stunning sign of respect: He was voted a team captain at Texas A&M as a redshirt freshman.
He also overcame dyslexia to earn his degree.
He wowed scouts with his toughness the week of the Senior Bowl when he got into a scuffle with eventual Bears first-round draft pick Chris Williams. Bryant obviously wanted to make it clear he was not going to be pushed around. When asked if the dust-up was a case of “boys being boys,” he said: “Nah … I was trying to break his facemask; I think I almost broke it … I know he had a headache for about two days.”
When the Seahawks picked Bryant in the fourth round of the 2008 draft, defensive coach John Marshall called him “a breath of fresh air … with him, that defensive meeting room won’t be the same.”
But Bryant, son-in-law of former Seahawks defensive end Jacob Green, had little impact during his first two seasons at defensive tackle. He revived his career when coach Pete Carroll gave him a try at defensive end.
“My first two years were rough, and I felt like I was at a crossroads,” Bryant said. “I learned that every day you have to prove yourself. I think being in the position I’m in now is a testament to hard work and faith in God. I’m extremely pleased where I am now.”
Bryant’s value on the field is obvious; he has been a crucial factor in the Seahawks becoming among the best in the NFL at stopping the running game.
“He deserves everything good that happens to him,” Robinson said. “He’s a great player and an even better person. He’s so committed to always getting better and always working to make this team better.”
Carroll talked about Bryant’s contagious personality and the effect that has on his teammates, but then added a specifically insightful comment.
“He loves the game; he loves to play it in a special way,” Carroll said. “Really from his heart.”
What better praise?
Dave Boling: 253-597-8440 dave.boling@thenewstribune.com
This story was originally published November 24, 2011 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Talented Bryant infectious by nature."