Each of the last two summers, Olu Oluwatimi has reported to training camp with a real shot to be the Seahawks' starting center.
And each of the past two seasons he found himself in a backup role for reasons not entirely in his control. Last season, Oluwatimi was leading the competition at center in training camp before the Seahawks signed veteran Connor Williams in mid-August, moving Oluwatimi to second-string duties. This year, Oluwatimi was competing with Jalen Sundell in what looked to be a close race, but a back injury kept him out multiple weeks, including for two preseason games, opening the door for Sundell to seize the job. And to be fair to Sundell, he very well might have won the job anyway—his play this season shows he is a starting-caliber center—but for Oluwatimi, it was a second straight year of missing out on a chance to open the season as a starter.
"I wasn't available," said Oluwatimi, a 2023 fifth-round pick out of Michigan. "I wasn't able to practice and things of that nature to show what I could do."
But now, for the second year in a row, Oluwatimi is stepping into the starting role midway through the season, though for a different reason this time. Last year, Williams unexpectedly retired midway through the season, leading to Oluwatimi starting the final eight games. This time, Oluwatimi is filling in for Sundell, who injured his knee last weekend and could be out multiple weeks, according to Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald.
Aside from an early hiccup, a fumbled snap exchange with Sam Darnold, Oluwatimi played well last week, helping serve as a catalyst for a big second-half rushing performance, and he's ready to take over this starting role and show what he can do.
"I feel good, I feel ready to play ball," said Oluwatimi.
The Seahawks offense is fortunate to have in Oluwatimi another starting-caliber option ready to step in, and his experience showed in the second half of Sunday's win over the Cardinals.
"Olu does a really good job," quarterback Sam Darnold said. "He did a really good job when he got in there last week. I know that he's going to continue to prepare his butt off and do everything that he can to help this team win."
Coaches are always preaching the importance of every player staying ready for when their number is called, but that can be easier said than done. The Seahawks, however, have had several examples this season of players stepping up in a big way when their opportunity comes, be it Tyrice Knight last week or Drake Thomas when he took over a starting job or Ty Okada when he took over for an injured Julian Love, just to name a few. Now, Oluwatimi is the latest player to show, midway through a game, that he was ready when called upon.
"Really excited for Olu," Macdonald said. "Talking about staying ready, and then when this opportunity presented itself, he played some really good football for us, and he was really a catalyst behind a lot of those runs... Olu is also a really good player, he's played great football for us, and that's what we're going to need from him.
"It's been a tough situation for Olu, especially this year. He really battled and he competed his tail off. I would say he put in a training camp performance that, in normal circumstances, is worthy to play a lot of football, if not start. It just so happens that the competition went a certain way. Last year it was a similar situation, and I think it just speaks to his mentality and him as a teammate to stay ready and trust in the process, knowing that the team would need him at some point and he'd have an opportunity to go help us win. Now he has a great opportunity, so I'm excited for him."
The Seahawks and Rams face off for the first time in the 2025 season on November 16. Kickoff is set for 1:05 p.m. PT. Take a look back through history at the Seahawks' matchups against the Rams.
Los Angeles Rams kicker Tom Dempsey (10) is seen in action during an NFL game against the Seattle Seahawks Oct. 31, 1976, in Los Angeles. (NFL Photos via AP)
Seattle Seahawks cornerback Cornell Webster (38) stops Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Drew Hill (29) during an NFL pre-season game Aug. 19, 1979 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/NFL Photos)
Los Angeles Rams defensive end Jack Youngblood (85) sacks Seattle Seahawks quarterback Jim Zorn for a loss during the first quarter in this Aug. 28, 1982 photo in Anaheim, Calif. Youngblood was one of seven elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Saturday, Jan. 27, 2001. (AP Photo/Doug Pizac)
FILE - In this Aug. 13, 1987, file photo, Los Angeles Rams running back Eric Dickerson (29) breaks away from Seattle Seahawks' Joe Nash during an NFL preseason football game in Anaheim, Calif. On Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017, Dickerson signed a one-day contract to retire as a member of the L Rams, reuniting the famous running back with his first NFL football franchise. Dickerson also became a vice president of business development with the Rams, who returned to Los Angeles last year after 21 seasons in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Lennox McLendon, File)
Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Cortez Kennedy (96) topples a St. Louts Rams quarterback (16) during a pre-season NFL football game in 1991. (Al Messerschmidt via AP)
FILE - In this Sept. 10, 2000, file photo, St. Louis Rams' Devin Bush tackles Seattle Seahawks's Ricky Watters during the second half of an NFL football game in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer, File)
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck makes a pass against the St. Louis Rams during the first half in Seattle, Sunday Dec. 22, 2002. Hasselbeck passed for 303 yards completing 20 in 32 attempts as the Seahawks win 30-10. Behind is Rams' Troyka Jackson and Seahawks' Walter Jones. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)
Seattle Seahawks' Alex Bannister (85) hits St. Louis Rams' DeJaun Groce after Groce caught a punt during the first quarter in Seattle Sunday, Sept. 21, 2003. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)
Seattle Seahawks receiver Jerry Rice leaps to make a one-handed catch against the St. Louis Rams at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis, Missouri on November 14, 2004. The Rams won 23-12. (AP Photo/G. Newman Lowrance)
St. Louis Rams quarterback Marc Bulger, right, is sacked by Seattle Seahawks' Lofa Tatupu in the third quarter, Sunday, Nov. 13, 2005, in Seattle. The Seahawks won, 31-16. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Seattle Seahawks' Delon Branch, right, catches a touchdown pass in front of St. Louis Rams' Travis Fisher in the forth quarter in an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 15, 2006, in St. Louis. The Seahawks won 30-28. (AP Photo/Bill Boyce)
Cornerback Marcus Trufant #23 of the Seattle Seahawks lends a leaping hand as teammate Deon Grant #24 intercepts a pass intended for wide receiver Travis Taylor #18 of the St. Louis Rams at Quest Field on October 21, 2007 in Seattle, Washington. The Seahawks defeated the Rams 33-6. (AP Photo/Paul Spinelli)
Members of the Seattle Seahawks line up one yard out of the end zone against the St. Louis Rams during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 14, 2008, in St. Louis. The Seahawks won 23-20. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Seattle Seahawks' Julius Jones (22) runs with the ball as St. Louis Rams' David Vobora falls behind in the second quarter of an NFL football game on Sunday, Sept. 13, 2009, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
St. Louis Rams running back Steven Jackson (39) is tackled by Seattle Seahawks linebacker Aaron Curry (59) and Seattle Seahawks safety Lawyer Milloy middle, during the first quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 3, 2010, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Seattle Seahawks defensive back Brandon Browner breaks up a pass intended for Brandon Lloyd of the St. Louis Rams during an NFL game in Seattle on Monday, Dec. 12, 2011. The Seahawks won the game, 30-13. (AP Photo/G. Newman Lowrance)
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson runs from St. Louis Rams outside linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 30, 2012, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Seattle Seahawks vs St. Loius Rams; Malcolm Smith
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jermaine Kearse, right, pushes Los Angeles Rams cornerback Lamarcus Joyner away as he runs the ball during the second half of an NFL football game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Sunday, Sept. 18, 2016, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae Hong)
Tyler Lockett's toe-drag touchdown reception from a Russell Wilson 13-yard looping-over-the-top-pass brought a feeling of poetic ballet to the skill of catching touchdown passes. The Seahawks defeated the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday Night Football, 30-29, at CenturyLink Field, October 3, 2019.
