Will Dissly worked tirelessly for 11 months to make his way back from a torn patellar tendon in order to be on the field for the Seahawks' regular-season opener against the Bengals.
Then, in a cruel twist of fate, the second-year tight end was unable to finish that game due to a knee injury, though this one was mercifully far less serious, allowing him to return the following week. And in his first full game back from that injury, Dissly showed that he is very much still the same player who impressed coaches and teammates so much in the first few games of his rookie season.
Dissly caught five passes for 50 yards in Seattle's Week 2 win in Pittsburgh, including touchdown grabs of 12 and 14 yards, and he could have had a huge game had offsetting penalties not wiped out a 43-yard catch and run.
"He picked right up where he left off," Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said. "He's making extra yards and getting first downs for us. His hand placement when catching the football is really, really good. The ability to use his range too and Russ (Wilson) knows how to throw the ball. The first touchdown he threw to his back shoulder. It was a great throw. He kind of makes all that look easy. You didn't see him get the football very much in college and they had a couple guys that played. He was a really good blocker. You go back to Will's background. He's a basketball player and a baseball player and all-around athlete. Things come natural to him."
"No question, he's back… He looked like he was in full form last week."
As Carroll noted, Dissly wasn't used much as a pass catcher at the University of Washington, and the Seahawks drafted him primarily for his blocking ability, which makes his production as a pass catcher all the more impressive. In two seasons as a tight end with the Huskies—he began his college career as a defensive end—Dissly caught 25 passes for 289 yards and three touchdowns. Through six NFL games, he already has 14 catches for 218 yards and four scores, and he is still doing all the work as a blocker that the Seahawks were looking for when the selected him in the fourth round of the draft.
The mild-mannered Bozeman, Montana native credits his quarterbacks with making life easy on him, but there's no doubting that he has turned into a true threat in the passing game early in his NFL career.
"I've had really good quarterbacks growing up," Dissly said. "I had Will Weyer in high school and we won the state championship and was doing a lot of things on offense there. I had Jake Browning, one of the best UW quarterbacks arguably—he put the ball wherever it needed to be and now I'm here with the Seahawks, it's Russell Wilson. I don't know if it's me or them, I'm probably going to lean more on them. They're three really good guys. I just kind of do my job and whenever the ball's in the air, it's my job to go catch it. That's kind of what I focus on."
Of course, it's not quite a simple as Dissly makes it sound. His first touchdown catch last week showed not just good trust and ball placement from Wilson, who threw it high enough to avoid the linebacker covering Dissly and to the outside shoulder to make sure the safety coming to help wouldn't be able to disrupt the play, but also pretty impressive receiving skills and athleticism on Dissly's part to jump, adjust in the air and make a contested catch.
"Dissly and I were talking about him being from Montana, him playing defensive line, and then him switching over to tight end," Wilson said. "It's really a testament to the athleticism that he has, I mean he can do everything. He can really catch. His timing is remarkable. How he makes just plays, his catch radius is really special, he's physical, I think that's the defensive lineman in him. I think that's the hard worker in him."
Dissly still has a lot of long-term goals in front of him, including proving he can stay healthy for an entire season, but last Sunday's game against Pittsburgh was a big step in showing he is back from what can be a devastating injury.
"There's a lot of questions when you go down obviously," he said. "You don't really know if you're going to lose a step, if you're even going to play again, kind of those kind of questions. It was kind of a deep breath. It was a long, long journey for me and the athletic training staff and the strength staff, just working tirelessly for nine, 10, 11 months, and here we are now. It's just been a grind. It hadn't been easy in any step of the way, but having that moment of getting in the endzone and being back, winning games is the best feeling ever. I just love the game of football so much and I was just going to work so hard to get back that when positive things happen, it's definitely nice."
The Seahawks and the Saints will meet this Sunday in Seattle at CenturyLink Field for the third game of the 2019 season. Take a look back at photos from the past games between the two teams.
Kicker Garo Yepremian (1) of the New Orleans Saints attempts a field goal in 1979. (AP Photo / Al Messerschmidt)
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Floyd Turner (88) begins the celebration after catching a touchdown in the Saints Seattle Seahawks game on Sunday, Sept. 3, 1991 in New Orleans. Looking on is Seahawks James Jefferson (26). Turner took the pass from quarterback Bobby Hebert late the fourth quarter to give the Saints a 27-24 victory. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
New Orleans Saints cornerback Eric Allen (21) stops Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Joey Galloway (84) during NFL action Sunday Nov. 16, 1997 in New Orleans.(AP Photo/Bill Haber)
Seahawks' quarterback Matt Hasselbeck is sacked by Saints' defenders Charles Grant (94) and Willie Whitehead (98) during the second quarter on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2003, at Seahawks' Stadium. Even through being sacked, Hasselbeck completed 12 of 23 passes for 137 yards and two touchdowns, leading the Seahawks over the Saints, 27-10. (AP Photo/Jim Bryant)
Seattle Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander (37) squeezes into the end zone for the Seahawks' first touchdown of the second quarter as New Orleans Saints' Fakhir Brown (35) attempts to make the stop at the Superdome Sept. 12, 2004, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Bill Feig)
Seattle Seahawks strong safety Terreal Bierria (34) looks on as New Orleans Saints tight end Ernie Conwell (85) pulls in a 6-yard pass for a touchdown during the first half Sunday, Sept. 12, 2004, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Bill Feig)
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck (8) throws against the New Orleans Saints Sunday, Sept. 12, 2004, in New Orleans as guard Steve Hutchinson (76) blocks Saints linebacker Roger Knight. Hasselbeck completed 19 of 29 passes for 246 yards and one touchdown in Seattle's 21-7 win. (AP Photo/Travis Spradling)
Seattle Seahawks coach Mike Homgren, left, accepts congratulations from New Orleans Saints coach Jim Haslett after the Seahawks defeated the Saints, 21-7 Sunday, Sept. 12, 2004, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Travis Spradling)
New Orleans Saints' Reggie Bush (25) is tackled by Seattle Seahawks' Brian Russell during the first quarter of their NFL football game in Seattle, Sunday, Oct. 14, 2007. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)
New Orleans Saints' linebacker Mark Simoneau (53) joins other Saints defensive players in trying to tackle Seattle Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander in the first half Sunday, Oct. 14, 2007, in an NFL football game at Qwest Field in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
Seattle Seahawks' Nate Burleson, front, is tackled by New Orleans Saints' Mike McKenzie after catching a pass during the fourth quarter of their football in Seattle, Sunday, Oct. 14, 2007. The Saints won 28-17. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)
Seattle Seahawks running back Justin Forsett (20) carries the ball during an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints, Sunday, November 21, 2010. The Saints won the game, 34-19. (AP Photo/Paul Abell)
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Brandon Stokley tries to evade Saints defenders as he takes off down the field during a game on November 21, 2010. The Saints defeated the Seahawks 34-19.
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Ben Obomanu, center, celebrates after scoring a touchdown during an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Sunday, Nov. 21, 2010. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
Seattle Seahawks safety Lawyer Milloy rallies the Seahawks defense during a game on November 21, 2010. The Saints defeated the Seahawks 34-19.
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Brandon Stokley celebrates a touchdown while standing in the end zone during a game on January 8, 2011. The Seahawks defeated the Saints 41-36.
Seattle Seahawks linebacker Lofa Tatupu makes pre-snap adjustments during a game on January 8, 2011. The Seahawks defeated the Saints 41-36.
Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch delivers a stiff arm to Saints cornerback Tracy Porter on his way to the end zone during a game on January 8, 2011. The Seahawks defeated the Saints 41-36.
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck takes in the 12s after a Seahawks touchdown during a game on January 8, 2011. The Seahawks defeated the Saints 41-36.
New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) passes against the defense Seattle Seahawks' Chris Clemons (91) in the second half of an NFL NFC wild card playoff football game, Saturday, Jan. 8, 2011, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
Seattle Seahawks running back Leon Washington celebrates with the 12s after beating New Orleans in the NFC Wild Card playoff game on January 8, 2011. The Seahawks defeated the Saints 41-36.
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson and head coach Pete Carroll embrace prior to a play during a Monday Night Football match up with New Orleans on December 2, 2013. The Saints defeated the Seahawks 34-7.
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Ricardo Lockette pulls down a reception over a Saints defender during a Monday Night Football match up on December 2, 2013. The Saints defeated the Seahawks 34-7.
Seattle Seahawks cornerback Byron Maxwell breaks up a pass in the end zone during a Monday Night Football game against New Orleans on December 2, 2014. The Saints defeated the Seahawks 34-7.
Seattle Seahawks tight end Zach Miller (86) during an NFL game against the New Orleans Saints on Monday, Dec. 2, 2013 in Seattle. The Seahawks won the game. (AP Photo/Ric Tapia)
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) in action during the New Orleans Saints NFL divisional playoff football game against the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2014 in Seattle, WA. (AP Photo/Tom Hauck)
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Doug Baldwin pulls in a reception over a Saints defender during the NFC divisional playoff game on January 11, 2014. The Seahawks defeated the Saints 23-15.
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Percy Harvin tip toes the sidelines at CenturyLink Field during the NFC divisional playoff game on January 11, 2014. The Seahawks defeated the Saints 23-15.
Seattle Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett celebrates a forced and recovered fumble during the NFC divisional playoff game on January 11, 2014. The Seahawks defeated the Saints 23-15.
Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch powers into the end zone for a touchdown during the NFC divisional playoff game on January 11, 2014. The Seahawks defeated the Saints 23-15.
The Seattle Seahawks prepare to take on the New Orleans Saints for the fifteenth time in franchise history on October 30, 2016. The Saints defeated the Seahawks 25-20.
New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) dives in to score a touchdown during an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, Oct. 30, 2016, in New Orleans. (Aaron M. Sprecher via AP)
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jermaine Kearse (15) leaps for a pass as New Orleans Saints cornerback B.W. Webb (28) covers as time expires in the second half of an NFL football game in New Orleans, Sunday, Oct. 30, 2016. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
Seattle Seahawks free safety Earl Thomas (29) returns a fumble for a touchdown in the first half of an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints in New Orleans, Sunday, Oct. 30, 2016. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) prepares for the snap during an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, Oct. 30, 2016, in New Orleans. New Orleans won 25-20. (Aaron M. Sprecher via AP)
