One of the Seahawks biggest problems entering the 2008-2009 offseason was the position of wide receiver. Prior to the draft everyone believed that the Hawks would draft the highest-ranked wide receiver on the board, Michael Crabtree from Texas Tech, with the third overall pick of the draft, but before the draft the Hawks made a huge signing. The Hawks signed star wideout T.J. Houshmandzadeh to a 5-year $40 million contract. The Hawks then ended up taking a linebacker out of Wake Forest, Aaron Curry, the highest rated player in the draft, with the third overall pick.
The Hawks are coming off a bye week and will play the Cowboys on Sunday November 1. Houshmandzadeh is currently ranked 32nd in receiving yards and 20th in receptions. Despite these numbers Houshmandzadeh has been vocal about the number of touches he is getting in the games. He had four receptions for 32 yards in his last game against the Cardinals. Houshmandzadeh said in an interview with the Seattle Times, “I just got to get these coaches to realize, throw me the ball.” Houshmandzadeh made these comments even though a week earlier he had eight receptions for 108 yards against the Colts. Houshmandzadeh did not like his numbers against the Colts because he said that most of his catches were during “garbage time.”
Being vocal has been part of Houshmandzadeh’s personality ever since he entered the NFL and most fans have learned to embrace it like freshman Justin Wood who said “I think he talks a big game, but takes the blame when it’s his fault.”
Even though Houshmandzadeh talks a big game he has always backed it up with results and numbers don’t lie. Despite being selected in the last round of the 2001 NFL draft he has emerged as one of the league’s top receivers. His first opportunity to prove himself came as a Bengal in 2004 when starting receiver Peter Warrick was injured and Houshmandzadeh was named the starter. Houshmandzadeh went all out that season recording 978 yards with 73 receptions and four touchdowns.
The next three years would also be good to Houshmandzadeh despite hand and foot injuries. From 2005-2008 he recorded 372 receptions, 4084 yards, and 32 touchdowns. There was no doubt in anybody’s mind that Houshmandzadeh was one of the premier wideouts in the league.
After the 2008 season Houshmandzadeh became a free agent and signed with the Seahawks despite other offers from teams like the Vikings.
Houshmandzadeh is also an avid Madden player, but this all changed in August 2009 when Houshmandzadeh started boycotting the video game “Madden NFL 10 “because of his low rating of 91 which is the sixth-best player rating in the NFC. Houshmandzadeh said this about his rating “I understand I averaged 10 yards a catch, but it’s the offense, not me. I’m not playing Madden no more until they get my rating right. … I used to be the best in the world at Madden. I’m going to miss not playing it, but until they do me right, I’m not playing it anymore.”
This move angered some fans because Houshmandzadeh had not even played a single game for the Seahawks before making the statement. Paul Lalangan said, “TJ should quit being a baby about his rating and concentrate on his game.” Eventually the fans moved on and now there are a lot of Houshmandzadeh fans in Seattle. Just watch a Seahawks game and you will hear the loud “HOUSH” from the fans every time Houshmandzadeh gets a reception.
So what can’t Houshmandzadeh do? Well, nothing basically as he has also dipped his hands in the music industry. Houshmandzadeh recently had a cameo in the song Overtime by Ace Hood in the Nike Sport remix.