Bryan Pittman

Puget Sound Jets - Tight End/Defensive End/Long Snapper

1998-2002

NFL:  Houston Texans (2003-2008)

Seattle Seahawks/Atlanta Falcons/Houston Texans (2009)

Bryan Pittman lived his NFL dream.

Playing in the league for six seasons with the Houston Texans was good enough for the former walk-on snapper at the University of Washington. But signing with the Seattle Seahawks was an over-the-top moment for someone who also played at Thomas Jefferson High School and Walla Walla Community College.

“I think it’s every player’s dream to go back and to play for their hometown team,” Pittman said Thursday after the final practice in the Seahawks’ latest series of OTA sessions. “I’m just excited about the chance to have that opportunity.”

Just like his younger brother, Bryan Pittman had to endure and persevere to reach his goal. He left Washington after only one season because he was not offered a scholarship, and spent the next five years working odd jobs and playing semi-pro football for the Puget Sound Jets.

“I definitely took the long detour,” Pittman said. “But I continued to work hard, I believed in myself and I knew I could do it. It just took me a while to get that first opportunity.”

Pittman got his foot in the NFL door by signing with the Cleveland Browns in 2003, but they released him (twice) before he caught on with the Texans later that year. He had a streak of 598 successful snaps broken in 2007, and remembers the one that got away as if it had happened yesterday.

“I had one sail high,” he said. “First time in my career. It was different. I was just dumbfounded. The toughest thing was to get in there that next play and start over.”

Pittman worked out for the Seahawks in March 2009, shortly after becoming an unrestricted free agent. But it took 2½ months to finally get a deal done.

“They wanted to make sure they got a chance to see what else was out there,” Pittman said. “Ultimately, they decided to bring me back and give me a shot.”

After being released by the Seahawks, Pittman returned to the Houston Texans in December of 2009 after playing four games with the Atlanta Falcons.  Both times he was replacing injured starters.

Pittman (center) with his Puget Sound Jets teammates after winning National Title game

Honors:

NWFL 2001 Honorable Mention All-League (Defensive End)

NWFL 2000 Honorable Mention All-League (Defensive End)