In last Thursday night’s preseason opener, it didn’t take long for the Seattle Seahawks to showcase their newfound emphasis on the ground game.
At the center of it is 6-foot-3, 274-pound rookie fullback Robbie Ouzts.
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On Seattle’s second offensive snap of the game, Ouzts lined up in the backfield and laid a block on four-time Pro Bowl defensive end Maxx Crosby, which helped running back George Holani spring free for a 19-yard gain on a halfback toss.
Ouzts was at it again on the Seahawks’ next series, delivering the key block that enabled Holani to bounce outside and race around the edge for a 24-yard touchdown.
Holani takes it HOME!
📺: @King5Seattle or @NFLNetwork pic.twitter.com/qQImteTokr
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) August 8, 2025
Ouzts, a fifth-round draft pick who was a tight end at Alabama, even showed off his pass-catching skills by sneaking out of the backfield for a 17-yard reception. In all, Ouzts played eight snaps and helped set the tone that Seattle intends to be a smash-mouth, physical unit under new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak.
For Mike Salk, Ouzts’ presence stood out as much as anything from the Seahawks’ first preseason game.
“The guy who jumped off the page more than anybody else was Robbie Ouzts,” Salk said on Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk. “He jumped out to me more than anyone else I saw. I’m not saying he was the single-best player out there. That might be going too far.
“But you noticed him. You felt his presence. You certainly felt Robbie Ouzts. … He was springing Holani, he was laying people out, he was moving from tight end to the backfield and opening up holes.”
Holani’s two long runs – spearheaded by Ouzts’ blocking – highlighted a big night for the Seahawks’ new-look ground game against the Las Vegas Raiders. Seattle finished with 170 yards and two touchdowns on 32 carries, with an average of 5.3 yards per attempt. That includes 128 yards and 4.9 yards per carry from Seahawks running backs.
“It’s nice to have a fullback,” Salk said. “If you want to be a running team and you want to be big and powerful and physical, it sure helps to have a big, powerful, physical fullback who is a fullback and not like a defensive lineman masquerading (as a fullback) now and again.”
Listen to the full Brock and Salk conversation at this link or in the audio player near the bottom of this story. Tune into Brock and Salk weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m. or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports app.
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