With Pete Carroll Watching Closely, Seahawks LB Jon Rhattigan Shines in NFL Debut
SEATTLE, WA - It seemed as if time had run out on linebacker Jon Rhattigan. But the West Point graduate quickly re-inserted himself into the 53-man roster conversation on Saturday night, making an impressive pro debut in the Seahawks' preseason finale against the Chargers.
"I was fired up about Jon," coach Pete Carroll told reporters following Seattle's 27-0 win. "This was a guy that did a lot of cool things when he was well and healthy with us, building up."
Signing as an undrafted free agent in May, Rhattigan nearly missed the entirety of training camp with a hamstring injury. He finally returned to practice earlier this week, four days ahead of the team's final preseason game of the year—his last chance to audition for a spot on the practice squad, let alone the active roster.
In his first 20 career snaps in the NFL, Rhattigan recorded four tackles and two quarterback pressures. He nearly added a sack of Los Angeles quarterback Easton Stick to his tally as well, but was just a hair late on his blitz.
Nevertheless, he exploded in live action and in review of the night's events. As such, Pro Football Focus awarded him a 94.2 overall grade for his efforts—the best of any Seattle player, offensively or defensively. He earned a 79.2 grade for his run defense, 79.5 for his tackling, 82.9 for hiss pass rush and 91.6 for his coverage.
Rhattigan dropped back into coverage on 12 of his 20 defensive snaps. He was targeted once and broke up a short pass to receiver Michael Bandy in the middle of the field. But he didn't just leave his mark on defense.
"Gosh, I thought he played really nice tonight," Carroll expressed. "That's the guy that did flash at me, and on special teams as well. It was really important for Jon to show us something, and I was really happy for him."
As Carroll alluded to, Rhattigan proving efficient at the next level, particularly on special teams, was crucial for the Seahawks.
With Ben Burr-Kirven suffering a season-ending ACL tear a week ago, filling out the back half of their linebacking corps became a great unknown. And there was no telling how Rhattigan would play with just four practices under his belt.
In the end, he didn't just survive his first taste of the NFL; he stood out among his peers. Now, in roughly 48 hours, he'll know if his efforts were deserving of a spot on Seattle's initial roster.
By 1:00 p.m. PDT on Tuesday, the Seahawks—and every other team in the league—have to cut their roster down from 80 players to 53. If Carroll's post-game comments were any indication, there could be some good news awaiting Rhattigan in the near future.
