In just five games since being elevated from the team’s practice squad last month, Jacob Hollister has emerged as a consistent receiving option at tight end for the Seattle Seahawks.
Hollister has caught multiple passes in each of Seattle’s last four games. In their consecutive overtime victories over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and San Francisco 49ers, Hollister has combined for 12 catches for 99 yards and three touchdowns. He caught the game-winning touchdown against Tampa Bay and was the target of another possible game-winning target from Russell Wilson when Dre Greenlaw picked him off on Seattle’s first possession of overtime Monday night.
After Will Dissly was lost for the season to a torn Achilles in Week 6, Hollister’s emergence has helped soften the absence.
“He’s just a really good ball player,” head coach Pete Carroll said. “He’s tough as hell. He’s delivering blows and taking hits. Competing like crazy. It shows up. When a guy is really good on special teams and he gives great effort in blocking and he catches the football, that’s a complete package guy.”
The Seahawks acquired Hollister in a trade with the New England Patriots in April in exchange for a seventh-round pick. While Hollister drew praise from the team throughout the offseason, an injury in training camp briefly set him back and led to him not be kept on the team’s roster at the end of the preseason.
Hollister already has developed a trust and chemistry with Wilson that showed on their 3-yard touchdown connection on Monday night. Wilson lofted a floating pass to the back of the end zone as Hollister separated late from safety Jaquiski Tartt for the catch and score.
“The play that they made for that touchdown pass, Russell see’s that Tartt’s back is to him and he can’t tell what’s going on. So, Russ knows, I got this. Jake kind of had a feel for it. Yeah, just go ahead, we got this guy. They kind of both knew what was happening and he dropped the ball on him to make a beautiful touchdown play,” Carroll said. “Didn’t even look like there was any way you can make that play, but those two guys both thought it could happen and they say it that way. That’s a special guy that adds to Russell. You can just tell. That’s why he’s been able to be part of this thing so quickly and really, in a big way. A heck of a game by Jacob yesterday.”
Even with their bye week this week, Luke Willson could miss time with a “legit” hamstring strain sustained late in the first half against the 49ers. Ed Dickson is ready to come off injured reserve after missing the first 10 games following knee surgery as well, but Hollister has helped fill a significant void for the Seahawks
“I think Jacob is going to be a tremendous asset for us going down there. I don’t think this is any fluke or anything,” Carroll said.
