The Redemption of Pork Chop

by: Michael Steffes

With all this talk about Seneca Wallace and new wide receivers, I think one interesting story that is going untold in this wild week of Seahawks football is the redemption of 'Chop'. So I am going to give him copy.

Floyd Womack, affectionately known as Pork Chop (Chop for short), is starting at right guard this week for the injured Rob Sims. Now, it isn't too often that positive things are said about Chop, at least on the internet, but I have no problem doing so.

While people often takes jabs, saying Womack is made of glass because of his injury history with this team, they over look what Pork Chop really is. He is a Seahawk, tried and true. Much like Walter Jones or even Chris Gray, Womack has been a staple of the Seahawks trenches. Before the game last week, Holmgren, giving the start to Mo Morris, referred to the running back as a "loyal solider." How cold you describe Chop as anything different? To continue reading...

Chop was always a backup, usually with some sort of nagging injury, until the famous "poison pill" went down. Holmgren tabbed Womack to the the starter at left guard. It didn't last long. He continued to suffer minor injury after minor injury. In fact, by the end of 06', Womack was back in the reserve role with a youth movement taking place. Chris Spencer was starting in his stead. Eventually Robbie Tobek got hurt too, and both Spencer and Sims were in the lineup in January.

Heading into '07, Womack was an afterthought. We were all looking forward to the young guys anchoring a dominant line for years to come. The only problem is they haven't. And by the end of the year, Womack was stealing snaps from Rob Sims. Guess what he got for staying healthy, and being the "loyal soldier"? Nothing. The Hawks showed little interest in signing him this offseason until they were unable to draft a linemen they liked in April. Then they brought back 'Chop, again to the dismay of fans.

But now look where we stand. Pork Chop is coming in, with veteran savvy, and at a time that change seems to be needed. If there is one thing our line can't say is that they are strangers. With the exception of Mike Wahle, this group has been together since 2005, when the team drafted Spencer and Wilis. Womack has worked with Walt since 2001, Lock since 2004, and Willis and Spencer since 2005. This is good. These guys go way back, collectively speaking.

Line play, more than almost any group in football benefits from a tight, unified, group who cover each others' backs. Chop has always had these guys backs, and my guess is they appreciate how he has handled his time on this team. He can't help he was hurt a lot, but if you ask him, I bet he is feeling great right now. In fact, he hasn't really been dinged since 2006. So rested and ready, Chop is back in the starting lineup.

There are lots of options for the Hawks. They could try Willis at guard again. They could use the much improved Mansfield Wrotto. They could also give Spencer a shot at guard again, a position that made him look so promising in 06. With that move Steve Vallos would likely play center, a position in which he looked very promising this preseason. But not yet. For now, Holmgren is going back to Chop, and it is the right move.

All week long, the Koren Robinson bell was rung loud and hard because we need a veteran WR who knows our system. If Koren Robinson had been more like Womack, he wouldn't be out of work. Now, I don't know if Womack will succeed, but I am hoping he does. Getting back in the game and starting for the Seahawks is something he deserves. He has given a lot to this organization, and never received much back from the fans, and in no way is that fair.

But for now, while some of you will likely jest about whether Chop got hurt while you were reading this post, I am hoping he succeeds. If Chop coming in turns this line around, and he makes it through the year and into the playoffs, well then that would be an even better story of redemption than bringing back a player like Robinson who burned this organization so many times. Chop is the good guy,the "loyal solider", and now he gets another chance to rewrite his story.