Tatupu leading and learning from mistakes
KIRKLAND, Wash. — Lofa Tatupu walked off the practice field and draped his massive arm and its tattoos over the shoulders of Dan Curran. The two Seahawks then traded laughs after the first practice of minicamp Monday.
Curran is the type of player the Seahawks expect – and handsomely pay — Tatupu to mentor. He is a first-year, undrafted free agent trying to learn the team and the NFL.
But Tatupu’s learning his own lessons right now.
Seattle’s captain and three-time Pro Bowl linebacker is facing a drunken driving charge. Kirkland police say Tatupu was apprehended in the early morning of May 10 after an officer saw him driving about 50 mph in a 35 mph zone a couple of miles from team headquarters here.
The Seahawks public relations staff refused to allow Tatupu to speak publicly Monday. Last month, Tatupu issued a statement through the team apologizing to his family, teammates, the organization and fans for a “poor decision” that he said disappointed and embarrassed him.
The police report stated Tatupu registered blood-alcohol levels of .155 and .158 in breath test readings – nearly twice the .08 legal intoxication threshold in Washington.
Tyrah Kahn, an assistant with the private law firm Moberly and Roberts, with which Kirkland contracts to prosecute, said Monday the office still had not made a decision whether to file charges, and that the delay was not unusual in such DUI cases.
Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren has already made his decision about the incident. He described it as “a good guy gets jammed up.”
“He’s really a fine guy. And you know, I always say, ‘But for the grace of God go I,’ ” Holmgren said.
“I think if we all looked at our things that we do and all the times that we’ve been driving too fast and didn’t get caught, things like that – you know, stuff happens and it’s life. And he felt very, very bad about it. He is a good man. He is a leader of this football team. …”
The arrest was the latest in a series of off-the-field issues for the Seahawks, who have won four consecutive NFC West titles.
In April, starting defensive tackle Rocky Bernard, 29, was arrested in Seattle. He is accused of hitting his 22-year-old ex-girlfriend in the forehead at a nightclub and then pounding on the windows of a car as she fled.
Also, Bobby Engram skipped another voluntary minicamp day Monday. The 35-year-old wide receiver, who set career highs of 94 catches and 1,147 yards receiving in 2007, wants more than the final year and $1.7 million he has remaining on his contract.
Yet Holmgren doesn’t see this as Seahawks running amok.
“I don’t think it’s been any different than any offseasons that we’ve had before, to be honest with you,” said Holmgren, who is entering his 10th and final year as Seattle’s coach.