Being a rookie in the NFL can be tough. This is expounded when a player is also a high draft pick. The expectations can be great, and transitioning to being a good college player to a success in the NFL while also making a lot more money is difficult. So far, though, Seattle Seahawks rookie Grey Zabel is making the move look easy.
He even got brutally honest during his first call with Seattle press when asked what he would do to celebrate being a new Seahawk. He answered by saying he was going to drink a lot of Busch Light. Did he? Maybe, but the fun sentiment is what matters.
Also, what matters to Zabel and general manager John Schneider is how well other people in the organization are treated. Schneider has said that some potentially high-quality prospects might not be chosen because they are rude to organization employees or see themselves as better than other people.
Seahawks rookie Grey Zabel plays respect to Steve Hutchinson with new jersey number
Zabel could have done that. After all, he has had to prove himself every step of his football career after being a low-star high school player to an FCS stud. He had to prove himself again during all-star competitions such as the Senior Bowl. He did so well that he was a first-round draft pick.
He could have been so full of ego that he might not have been humble enough to give respect where it was due, but he was. When it came time for the Seahawks to hand out new jersey numbers for the rookies, Zabel, the likely left guard in Week 1 for Seattle, would be given the number 76.
Seahawks legendary left guard Steve Hutchinson also wore the number. He was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2020, and was a two-time First-Team All-Pro and three-time Pro Bowler for Seattle between 2003 and 2005. Many see Zabel as the closest guard for Seattle to Hutchinson since Hutch left.
But before Zabel fully accepted wearing the jersey number, he reached out to Hutchinson to make sure the Hall of Famer was OK with it.
According to the Seahawks official website, Zabel said, "(Being given the number) was kind of the equipment staff's idea. I had to ask Hutch if it was OK to wear it and he was all for it and super excited for it. No better number to wear in Seattle history."
Respect where it is due. Now, Zabel needs to prove his value to the team in 2025 and well beyond. The expectation should be that he does that, and hopefully, he will have been as good as Hutchinson was by the time his career is done.