Back in game, Seahawks' McMullen makes the most of it

Back in game, Seahawks' McMullen makes the most of it
By GREG JOHNS
P-I REPORTER

RENTON -- He was brought in as a Band-Aid solution for the Seahawks' gaping wound at wide receiver, a stopgap measure for a full-go offense suddenly shy on playmakers.

But Billy McMullen wants to be more than just some temporary stand-in. He's not satisfied with merely catching a couple of Matt Hasselbeck passes after six receivers went down with injuries in the opening weeks of the season.

There's more to his game, more to his goals, more to the God-given talents that have been hibernating the past year and a half while he waited for another chance at professional football.

So while almost no one in Seattle could pick McMullen out of a lineup, the 28-year-old NFL journeyman is thrilled to be part of the Seahawks' starting rotation for the short term and possibly beyond after opening eyes with his professionalism and performance as an emergency fill-in.

"It really is a remarkable story," said Hasselbeck, knowing McMullen will be starting for the Seahawks at split end Sunday against the New York Giants even with Deion Branch and Bobby Engram back to health.

In two games with the Seahawks, the lanky Virginian has caught seven passes for 124 yards while convincing coach Mike Holmgren to take a closer look.

"He very much has earned the right to stay with us," said Holmgren, who cut Samie Parker shortly after his arrival the same week and has yet to get anything out of his other reclamation project, Koren Robinson.

"Having said that, funny things happen when everyone comes back," Holmgren said. "We have to kind of sort through that. But he has not done anything to hurt himself, that's for sure. Right now, I'm thinking he's part of the mix."

Not bad for a fellow who put together four fairly pedestrian seasons as a backup with Philadelphia and Minnesota from 2003-06, was out of the league entirely in 2007 and then got cut again this preseason by the Washington Redskins.

McMullen certainly has the background and tools to be a productive NFL receiver. He's a well-built 6-foot-4 athlete with huge hands, a strong work ethic and a promising past as the second-leading receiver in ACC history for Virginia.

But sometimes players just need the right break, the right circumstances, the right time in their life to show what they can do. And McMullen just might have fallen into that scenario when Seahawks general manager Tim Ruskell called three weeks ago looking for someone who knew the West Coast offense and could help in a hurry.

"Right place, right time," said McMullen, whose faith never wavered while his NFL career was on hold.

Sitting home with his wife in Richmond, Va., he stayed in shape with treadmill work while waiting for the phone to ring. He had tryouts with five teams last season without drawing an offer.

"It was a test for me, not only in football but just life," McMullen said. "You learn yourself better when you're going through tough times. Anybody can be good in good times. But when times are tough, the real you comes out. And I believe I passed that test with flying colors. I was patient. I just leaned on God and knew he would set me and my family up and I'd take advantage of the opportunity."

So here he is now, trying not to think too big or get ahead of himself. One day at a time, he thinks. One practice, one catch, one pass route.

He acknowledges the uniqueness of his circumstance, going from sofa to NFL starter in such short order. His first game in Seattle, he played 67 snaps and caught three passes for 71 yards after an already short-handed squad lost Seneca Wallace in pregame warm-ups and Logan Payne on the third play of the game.

"From a coach's standpoint, those types of things are very inspiring," Holmgren said of McMullen's ability to step in and step up with almost no practice time in Seattle's system.

Now he's had the bye week to bring himself more up to speed, but it's still surprising to see No. 17 aligned with the starting unit on the practice field, even for the guy wearing the jersey.

"I'm numb to it," he said. "It's just go do your job, pretty much. If I let it go somewhere else, I'll be all star-struck and whatever. So you just go out there, do your job, come in the next day, do it again. But I am having fun doing my job."

None of this surprises Virginia coach Al Groh, who calls McMullen "one of our favorite players we've had here."

Groh, a former head coach of the New York Jets, credits McMullen as "the ultimate team guy" and praised his professional approach and commitment.

"He's one of the best captains we ever had," Groh said, "both in what he had to say and how he demonstrated it to teammates. He's a guy who will do whatever it takes."

So why has McMullen been unable to transfer his Virginia success -- he was the team's leading receiver for four consecutive seasons -- into a permanent NFL gig?

"Billy is not a flashy player," Groh said. "There are going to be faster, more dynamic players. Billy is one of those guys who when he gets his chance, he's going to show he can do his job really well.

"But until that occurs, all of us as coaches see other guys with flash and speed and think maybe they have a higher end," he said. "But Billy really knows how to play the game and compete. The quality he has that gets overlooked is he's really dependable."

Seahawks receivers coach Keith Gilbertson used the dependable word as well, grateful for the help provided on such short notice.

"He's been real good for us," Gilbertson said. "He's a professional who works hard and is diligent about his splits and alignments and depths and all those kind of things you need to do. He's a try-hard guy and it's great what's he done for us."

In many ways, McMullen has provided what the Hawks hoped to get from Robinson. Both are tall receivers who can play split end and let Branch and Engram work the slot and flanker spots. But Robinson has struggled because of a sore leg since arriving and didn't practice again Thursday, while McMullen has taken the ball and run.

"Now we've got everybody back and he's still our starting split end," Hasselbeck said. "Good for him. He's done a good job. He's stayed healthy, which is kind of tough to do when you come in off the street like that. He catches the ball well, and I think that's probably the most important thing."

McMullen, a religious studies major at Virginia, said he never considered pursuing another job while his NFL career was on hold. He figured someone would see his tape and need his talents.

"I knew I could play," he said.

He also knew nothing was guaranteed, however. He caught just 22 passes in three seasons with the Eagles, even after Terrell Owens said he'd be his heir apparent because of their similar size.

He pulled in 23 passes for 307 yards with the Vikings in 2006 after being traded for Hank Baskett, but was released at the end of that season.

"It's a business," he said. "You just try to do what you can when you get the chance."

McMullen said it took just a couple of practices to get comfortable with the Seahawks, pushed by the team's immediate need.

"When the ball is coming your way, you have to make a play," he said. "You don't have much choice."

But while he used to play with Owens in Philadelphia, advancing to the Super Bowl with that squad in 2005, none of T.O.'s false bravado rubbed off. At Virginia, McMullen shied from the media.

When he found himself unemployed for most of the past two seasons, he went home to Virginia and "just was quiet. Didn't talk to a lot of people. Didn't want to."

Instead, he took advantage of the time with his wife, Lauren. The two met in college and got married two years and three months ago. McMullen rattles that time off the top of his head without blinking.

"I look at the good and bad in things," he said of his NFL layoff. "So it was wonderful just being at home with my wife day-in and day-out, not having to leave town. Waking up Saturday and Sunday mornings, sharing all that time. Just walking the path with her was awesome. Now we're even stronger because of it."

When the Seahawks called, McMullen said to himself, "Excellent. It's time to get back to work."

He and Lauren have moved to Seattle, a city he'd seen only once before when the Vikings visited Qwest Field in 2006. He calls it an easy city and team to like, though he's been around enough to know not to get his hopes up too high.

For now, he's getting an opportunity to show what he can do. He'll take the rest as it comes.

"Who knew I'd even be in Seattle?" he said. "You just never know, man. I'm on for the ride."