Seattle, WA
Huard: Seattle Seahawks rookie adds something OL was missing
Late in the first half of Sunday’s pivotal NFC West clash, Seattle Seahawks rookie right guard Sataoa Laumea made his presence felt in an emphatic way.
Seahawks’ rushing attack has ‘breakthrough’ in multiple ways
Just one week removed from his NFL debut, Laumea pulled to the left and delivered a thunderous pancake block that sent an Arizona edge rusher to the ground. Laumea’s block helped open a wide crease for running back Zach Charbonnet, who raced through the lane for a 51-yard touchdown run during Seattle’s 30-18 road win over the Arizona Cardinals.
“CHARBONNET GOING THE DISTANCE”@Seahawks continue to hit big plays pic.twitter.com/ahe7S0jssV
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) December 8, 2024
It was the defining moment of a breakout afternoon for the Seahawks’ oft-criticized offensive line and sputtering rushing attack. With a unit up front that was consistently clearing running lanes, Seattle exploded for a season-high 176 rushing yards – nearly double its season average. The O-line also excelled in pass protection, with quarterback Geno Smith playing his first sack-free game of the year.
Laumea, a sixth-round draft pick out of Utah, played an important role in the success up front. But it wasn’t just his play that caught former NFL quarterback Brock Huard‘s attention.
Laumea’s attitude also stood out.
“There were a couple times that the field mics caught him (unleashing) this guttural scream,” Huard said during Monday’s Blue 88 segment on Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk. “And you haven’t heard that in years (from Seattle’s O-line) – just the joy. It’s hard to be a lineman, man. … You’re blocking guys that are so much more superior in speed and athleticism and oftentimes even strength. You just take a beating, and you really don’t get any praise.
“So it’s really hard to just have joy and this charisma,” he added. “But man, yesterday you heard him multiple times. … He demolished (a defender) and pancaked him and screamed this warrior roar. And I’m like, ‘Yes.’ This team has needed that.”
“CHARBONNET GOING THE DISTANCE”@Seahawks continue to hit big plays pic.twitter.com/ahe7S0jssV
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) December 8, 2024
The two leaders along the Seahawks’ offensive line are left tackle Charles Cross and right tackle Abraham Lucas, but Huard thinks the 6-foot-4, 319-pound Laumea adds a different type of edge with his personality.
“That’s not Charles Cross. He is not that kind of vocal guy. That’s not Abe Lucas. They’re not wired that way,” Huard said. “But you need that. … I went back and looked at my Utah boards when he’s playing there, a constant comment was like, ‘He’s a mean sucker. You do not mess with him.’
“The Seahawks’ O-line needed (that). And man, what a great game for him and the whole group collectively.”
The coach’s take
Laumea, a three-time All-Pac-12 selection at Utah, was inactive for Seattle’s first 11 games while sitting behind second-year pro Anthony Bradford and rookie third-round draft pick Christian Haynes on the depth chart.
But after Bradford landed on injured reserve with an ankle injury that he suffered two weeks ago, Laumea beat out Haynes for the starting job and made his NFL debut in last week’s win over the New York Jets.
During his weekly appearance Monday morning on Seattle Sports, Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald agreed with Huard’s assessment that Laumea brings a fiery type of energy to the field.
“He has a lot of that in him,” Macdonald said. “That showed up on his college tape. He’s rugged, powerful and nasty. … He’s a heck of a kid, a heck of a guy and he’s still so young, man. It’s really exciting.”
Listen to the full Blue 88 segment at this link or in the audio player near the top of this story. Hear the full conversation with Mike Macdonald at this link or in the audio player at the bottom of this story.
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Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson answered pressing questions about the city’s most pressing issues, including the steps she’s taking to protect residents’ public safety and affordability, while also touching on activating CCTV cameras across the city.
Anyone waiting for the ferry, taking a stroll along the revamped Seattle waterfront or visiting the Seattle Aquarium just got a new option for finding a sweet treat: Ben & Jerry’s is coming to Pier 54.
A lease announcement last week shared that the new shop will be operated by local franchise owners Lance and Moria Blair, owners of the Green Lake and Gig Harbor Ben & Jerry’s locations. They pair is also opening another Seattle location in Northgate soon.
The permanent shop announcement comes after Ben & Jerry’s operated a pop-up at the waterfront location last simmer.
“As a Seattle native, the waterfront holds a special place in my heart,” Lance Blair said in a news release. “I could not be more excited to be a part of bringing Ben & Jerry’s to Pier 54 and continue building connections with the local community while serving visitors from around the world.”
The new location comes as local ice cream chains Molly Moon’s and Salt & Straw have also expanded into the downtown area in the past year.
Where is the new Ben & Jerry’s location?
The new Ben & Jerry’s is located at Pier 54 on the Seattle Waterfront: 1001 Alaskan Way, Seattle, WA 98104.
The shop will be open Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Where are the other Ben & Jerry’s locations in Seattle?
The ice cream chain operates four other locations in the Seattle area:
- Alki Beach: 2742 Alki Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116
- Bellevue: 166 Bellevue Way NE Bellevue, WA 98004
- Green Lake: 7900 E Green Lake Drive N Suite 104, Seattle, WA 98103
- Kirkland: 176 Lake Street South, Kirkland, WA 98033
How many locations does Ben & Jerry’s have in Washington?
Ben & Jerry’s has ten locations across Washington, including two in Issaquah and three in the Spokane area. See the full list of locations at benjerry.com/ice-cream-near-me.
Zachary Fletcher is a trending news reporter with USA TODAY Network’s Washington state team. Keep up with him on X (@zdfletch), BlueSky (@zfletcher.bsky.social) or reach him at zfletcher@usatodayco.com.
Seattle, WA
VIDEO: Mayor Wilson proposes renewing, expanding Seattle Transit Measure by doubling the sales-tax percentage that funds it.
Through the end of this year, 0.15% of the sales tax you pay funds the voter-approved Seattle Transit Measure. That would double to 0.30% if the City Council and Seattle voters approve the renewal/expansion that Mayor Katie Wilson officially introduced this afternoon. She said it’ll make living in Seattle more affordable by enabling more people to “live car-free or car-light.” She acknowledged that raising the sales tax isn’t ideal but noted that it’s one of the few revenue-raising tools available under state law. Besides paying for more transit – 280,000 additional Metro bus trips a year, 100,000 more than the current measure funds – it also would pay for 22,000 free ORCA transit passes, more than double what the city provides now, said acting SDOT director Angela Brady during the announcement event at City Hall. The passes are now available to Seattle Promise scholars, low-income Seattle Preschool Program families, and Seattle Housing Authority residents. The measure’s renewal/expansion would also make those passes available to Housing Choice Voucher participants.
The mayor’s announcement says the Transit Measure isn’t just about buses: It also would “support the design and delivery of Sound Transit’s West Seattle Link Extension, Ballard Link Extension, and Graham Street Station.” The 0.30% sales tax would generate an estimated $138 million average per year for the 10 years of this measure, which is proposed to go to voters in November. Council review starts this Thursday and will be led by District 1 City Councilmember Rob Saka, who chairs the council committee that oversees transportation. We’ll add the specific text of the proposal when we get it; the slide deck for Thursday’s council meeting is now available, and we’ll add some highlights from that soon.
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