Seahawks send Russell Wilson to be with grieving teammates

The Seahawks sent their hearts out to teammates Jimmy Graham and Cliff Avril, who each lost a loved one the weekend. They sent their quarterback, too.

BY DANNY O

May 26, 2015, 2:11 PM Updated: May 27, 2015, 12:45 pm

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Russell Wilson missed the Seahawks' first OTA to attend a funeral with teammate Jimmy Graham. (AP)

(AP)

RENTON – The Seahawks sent their hearts out to teammates Jimmy Graham and Cliff Avril, who each lost a loved one over the weekend.

They sent their quarterback, too.

Russell Wilson joined Mo Kelly, the team’s player-engagement official, in heading to Florida to be there for Graham after the death of Tamara Meyerson, who had served as a mentor for Graham. Meyerson was 45 and had played a huge role in Graham’s life in college after he had been given up by his mother when he was 11. Graham, 28, is a tight end in his first year with the team after being acquired in an offseason trade from New Orleans.

Kelly and Wilson were expected to support Graham at the funeral, and then may go to visit Avril, whose father passed away over the weekend. Avril, 29, is a defensive end who signed a contract extension with Seattle last December. He will be entering his third season as a Seahawk.

Coach Pete Carroll paused after practice to express both the team’s condolences to the players and also the support.

“We send our hearts and prayers to those guys,” Carroll said.

The Seahawks held an organized team activity (OTA) on Tuesday, a practice though it did not include helmets. Attendance was voluntary and players such as Marshawn Lynch, Michael Bennett and Bruce Irvin were not present.

Wilson has not missed a practice that was open to reporters since he was drafted by the Seahawks in 2012. There is no word on when Avril and Graham will return to the team, Carroll stating that family was the priority.

“We know there’s nothing we can really do,” Carroll said, “but we’re trying to show the love and see if we can help out in any way.”