SEATTLE — All Pro guard Quenton Nelson is preparing to make his Seattle Seahawks debut Monday night against the Chicago Bears, giving the Seahawks an eight-time Pro Bowl and three-time All-Pro presence on their offensive line.
But before Nelson takes his first snap in a Seahawks uniform, he has another challenge: moving his life and family from Indianapolis to a place they have never lived.
The Seahawks are working to make that transition as easy as possible while getting their new guard ready for primetime.
Nelson’s reputation as a dominant interior lineman preceded his arrival in Seattle. When head coach Mike Macdonald was asked what stood out while watching Nelson’s tape, his answer was simple.
“Well, they run it left,” Macdonald said. “He’s a guy you want to run behind. I know that.”
Wide receiver Cooper Kupp has also seen plenty of Nelson over the years.
“I’ve been watching him, you know, just brawl the interior line for years now,” Kupp said.
For Nelson, the move means learning a new playbook while simultaneously uprooting his life in Indianapolis.
“You gotta learn with moving,” Kupp said. “You’re moving significant others, family out here. Where you going to live at? There is just a lot of that is happening still amongst all of this stuff.”
Nelson acknowledged the adjustment but said he has support around him.
“It’s completely different, but I’ve got great people around me helping me out,” Nelson said.
He also appears to be enjoying his new surroundings.
“It’s a beautiful state. A really cool city,” Nelson said. “The nature here is sick.”
Nelson said he has been impressed by his new teammates as well, particularly Seattle’s defensive front.
“I saw two stud DTs and, I mean, the D-line is just filthy,” Nelson said. “The defensive ends as well.”
Macdonald said plenty of people within the Seahawks organization are helping Nelson make the transition.
“It’s kind of a 12-as-one thing,” Macdonald said. “Like, hey, it takes a lot of people to make this transition happen.”
Nelson said he appreciates how much Seattle wanted to bring him aboard.
“I’m honored that, like, this team wanted me,” Nelson said. “That the GM and coaches wanted me here, to add to their already amazing team.”
Nelson is expected to start Monday night against Chicago at Lumen Field.
The matchup will also feature a familiar opponent for Nelson: The Bears added defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons from the Tennessee Titans. Nelson regularly faced Simmons while playing for Indianapolis in the AFC South.
Asked about seeing Simmons again, Nelson praised the defensive tackle before joking, “I can’t seem to shake the guy.”