Going Full Circle, More 'Polished' Bruce Irvin Set to Unleash Havoc in Return to Seahawks

Ready to embrace a mentorship role in his second stint in Seattle, Irvin also expects to play at his best after growing as a player with three different teams over the past four years.

SEATTLE, WA - Entering the league with red flags galore coming out of West Virginia, Bruce Irvin needed to land in the right situation to carve out a lengthy NFL career.

After trading down from their original first round pick, the Seahawks rolled the dice on the athletic edge rusher, selecting him at No. 15 overall. Nine years later, Irvin hasn't forgotten about the organization giving him a shot - or the analysts who gave him and his rookie class a poor grade - and he couldn't pass up on the chance to play for coaches Pete Carroll and Ken Norton Jr. once again.

“I would be here damn near three hours if I tell you all they [Carroll and Norton] mean to me," Irvin laughed.

It's been a long road back to the Pacific Northwest for Irvin, who spent four up-and-down seasons with the Raiders, Falcons, and Panthers before agreeing to terms with the Seahawks on a one-year pact earlier this offseason.

Signing a multi-year deal with Oakland four years ago, Irvin endured an up-and-down three seasons with the franchise. He recorded 15.0 sacks during his first two seasons with the team, but saw his role diminish substantially upon the arrival of coach Jon Gruden prior to the 2018 campaign.

Calling Gruden "crazy" as advertised, Irvin considered going back to the Seahawks after being released at midseason by the Raiders, but opted to return to his home state and sign with the Falcons instead. He spent last season with the Panthers, registering a career-high 8.5 sacks while primarily playing defensive end.

Bringing his career full-circle at 32 years of age, Irvin will rejoin the Seahawks hoping to bolster one of the league's worst pass rushes from a season ago. Since his departure four years ago, he believes his experiences with different schemes and different coaches have made him a far better player than the one who left Seattle.

FILM BREAKDOWN: Bruce Irvin still adds plenty of bite to Seahawks' pass rush.

"I'm more of a polished player now than I was in Seattle - I think I'm a better player now than I was my first four years in Seattle." Irvin said, citing one of my film breakdowns as part of his own personal assessment. "The game is slower, I know how to set up certain moves, I know how to study film now... I take care of my body better. It's just the things that come with maturity and age."

Recalling his first stint with the Seahawks, Irvin owes much of his success to the veteran mentorship provided by teammates such as Red Bryant, Chris Clemons, and Brandon Mebane who helped guide him during his first few years in the league. Becoming a student of the game, he learned how to analyze opponents on film and better attack opposing blockers as a pass rusher.

Now preparing for his ninth NFL season - albeit amid far different circumstances due to the coronavirus pandemic - Irvin is ready to pay it forward in a role reversal. Along with making a splash on the field, he plans to pass on everything he has learned to youngsters such as incoming rookies Darrell Taylor and Alton Robinson.

"Those guys showed me when I was younger how to be a pro on and off the field, so it's just crazy that I'm in their position now. I gotta show younger guys how to take care of their bodies and study and stuff like that. It's crazy man, but nonetheless, I'm just happy to be in this situation."

Kicking off his second stint in Seattle, Irvin expects to play a similar role to the one he held during his first four NFL seasons. He expects to play SAM linebacker on early downs before shifting to defensive end as an edge rusher on third downs and obvious passing situations.

With a logjam at linebacker, it's possible those plans could change once players return to the field and Irvin could be used exclusively as an edge rusher. But regardless of how the situation plays out, despite joking he feels "old as hell" going into his ninth season, he's fired up to be back with the Seahawks and can't wait to get rolling.

"For me, at this stage of my career, it's [about] going to the best situation. And I felt like going back home - Seattle I consider my football home at least - that was the best thing that could happen to me, especially in year nine. I couldn't ask for a better situation."