Sunday's game will have extra meaning for D.J. Reed, who with the Seahawks in 2020-21 before joining the Jets in free agency.
"It's going to be fun, man," Reed said. "Playing in Seattle, in my opinion, is the most fun environment to play in. Going back and seeing the guys is going to be cool. I loved Seattle when I was there. I enjoyed my two years there, so I'm definitely looking forward to it."
The former 'Niners fifth-round pick could line up against WR D.K. Metcalf, who leads the 'Hawks with 86 receptions and 1,005 yards. Metcalf's 6 touchdowns are second on the team to Tyler Lockett (8), who missed last week's game after undergoing hand surgery. Lockett was a limited participant in Thursday's practice.
"DK is just a specimen, man," Reed said. "He's 6-4, 245. I mean, you don't really see that in a receiver. You look at what he does in the run game, he's blocking linebackers. He could block anybody. And then you look at him as a receiver, one of the most explosive receivers in the NFL as well as strong and physical. It's a tough matchup to guard someone 6-4 that weighs 245 that can move how he moves. So, it's definitely going to be a challenge, but I'm looking forward to it."
Reed, a Pro Bowl alternate, will be joined by reinforcements in the secondary as S Lamarcus Joyner (hip) will be back in the lineup after missing two games.
"He's an explosive player back there," HC Robert Saleh said of Joyner. "He's 99% right when he does trigger, so when that ball is snapped, he's as good as anybody."
Mentor and Mentee
Saleh, who became the Jets head coach in 2021, spent three seasons (2011-13) under current Seahawks HC Pete Carroll as a defensive quality control coach.
"I had a three-month-old at the time, my wife and I," said Saleh, who needed a job at the time after six seasons with the Texans. "And she's panicking because she's wondering where our next meal is coming from because I didn't have a contract, and the good Lord came off the top ropes and sent me a blessing."
Saleh described his time in the Pacific Northwest as one of the "luckiest" things to happen to him. His stint with the Seahawks ended with a victory in Super Bowl XLVII, 43-8, over the Broncos at what's now his home field -- MetLife Stadium.
"To go there and to learn so much about myself aside from the game of football," Saleh said. "There was a lot of learning from a football standpoint, but to learn about myself because of the things that he challenged us on from a character standpoint as individuals, how are we developing ourselves as coaches? It was a great experience and I'm very grateful for it.
"Just being with that coaching staff when I was there, you had, Pete, Gus Bradley, Dan Quinn, Ken Norton Jr., even Kris Richard, and Rocky Seto. Just very impactful people for me. I've said it before, for a young man, I was in my early thirties just begging for an answer, begging for a guide. To be flooded with those people, that staff, with the diversity of that staff and their philosophies, it was a godsend."
Special Specialists
The Seahawks have a pair of the NFL's best specialists in K Jason Myers and P Michael Dickson.
Myers, who played with the Green & White in 2018, has converted on a league-high 96.4% of his field goals (min. 5 kicks). He's made 6-of-6 from more than 50 yards with a long of 56 and he's missed one extra point this season (38 of 39).
Dickson ranks No. 4 in the NFL in yards per punt (49.1) and No. 2 in net yards per punt (44.9).
