Pro bowl receiver Doug Baldwin? Nope. Super Bowl winning quarterback Russell Wilson? Nope. The first points of the Seattle Seahawks’ season belong to a tight end from Bozeman, Montana.
“Well, he’s been great all training camp, and he’s been great all OTAs (organized team activities),” Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson told Seahawks.com after Sunday’s game, referring to Bozeman native Will Dissly. “He’s been a rock star for us.”
Sunday was a dream start for Dissly. Despite Seattle’s 27-24 loss in Denver, not only did Dissly make his NFL debut, but his first career catch was a 15-yard touchdown against one of the league’s top defenses.
“It’s just a cool opportunity to go out there in that first game and do some special things,” Dissly told Seahawks.com. “Russ was awesome – putting the ball where it needs to be – and I just happened to make some plays.”
The touchdown wasn’t even his best. On the final play of the first quarter, Dissly caught a pass over the middle, bounced two tacklers, made two more miss, cut down the sideline and almost scored again, rumbling 66 yards to inside Denver’s 5-yard line when it was said and done.
“You can’t slow down at all,” Dissly said. “You see green grass and you’re pushing pedal to the metal, trying to go as fast as you can. It’s kind of funny – you really don’t think, you just kind of react, and I was fortunate to do some cool things.”
And how’s this for high praise from the head coach?
“I was shouting, ‘Ditka,'” Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll gushed. “He looked like Mike Ditka out there, and he just missed a couple others, too. We just overthrew him a bit, or he might have had two or three more catches. He’s been doing great for us, and I’m really happy to see him contribute like that.”
Dissly finished with 105 yards, setting a new debut player franchise record — a surprise to many, except his QB.
“He’s very fundamental, he’s very smart, he gets the game,” Wilson said. “You know, he’s one of our best athletes, in general.”
Montanans have known that for years. Guess the secret’s out.
Dissly makes his prime-time debut Monday night when Seattle visits the Chicago Bears.
