SUPER BOWL XL

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Robbie Tobeck, who played flag football at New Port Richey Christian, is back in the Super Bowl.

By JOANNE KORTH
Published February 4, 2006

DETROIT - Funny, there's no mention in Seahawks center Robbie Tobeck's player bio of his first experience with organized football, some 20 years ago at New Port Richey Christian.

Flag football.

No, really.

Tobeck, who still has family in Pinellas County, began his football career not so much on a gridiron as a latticework, at a small private school with no tackle football program until he was a senior.

But, hey, they were awesome at basketball.

"We had an unbelievable basketball team, so we had good athletes, we just didn't play football," Tobeck said. "We'd beat the mess out of teams. But at times it was kind of silly and embarrassing to say you played flag football."

From such humble beginnings, Tobeck will play in his second Super Bowl on Sunday, a member of one of the league's premier offensive lines and tipping the scales at 6 feet 4, 297 pounds.

"As I see him today, I wouldn't want him on my flag football team," said Seahawks president Tim Ruskell, who makes personnel decisions. "Was he the guy snapping the ball?"

Nah, Tobeck was the quarterback. And the running back. And the receiver. And, on defense, the safety. He's not sure why he ever agreed to play offensive line, but in 12 pro seasons he has made 166 starts, including eight playoff games. Next week, he will play in his first Pro Bowl.

"It hasn't been a typical journey, but I wouldn't trade it," said Tobeck, 35. "Not that everyone doesn't cherish it, but when you work so hard for it maybe it means a little bit more. Or, maybe I'd have rather been a first-round pick."

Nah, this is more colorful.

Tobeck's high school started a tackle football program his senior year, consisting of five games. Based on that, Tobeck accepted a scholarship at Liberty Christian College in Lynchburg, Va., but lasted only six months after learning he'd have to redshirt athletically and wear a shirt and tie to class.

Tobeck spent two seasons at Kilgore Junior College in Texas before moving on to Washington State. And the offensive line.

Tobeck played guard as a junior, moved to center as a senior and became close friends with the Cougars star quarterback, Drew Bledsoe. Tobeck was a second-team All-Pac-10 selection, but was not selected in the 1993 NFL draft.

Tobeck signed with Atlanta and spent the first 15 weeks on the practice squad. In 1994, he played in five games in short-yardage situations. In 1995, he started at guard. In 1998, he switched to center and played in Super Bowl XXXIII.

He has been with the Seahawks since 2000.

"We all have opportunities in life and doors will open for us at various times," Tobeck said. "What I've tried to do is be ready and be prepared when those doors open and jump through them."

Sadly, he never got the chances Seahawks teammate Shaun Alexander did. Otherwise, Tobeck said, he'd have been an elite NFL running back with at least 2,000 yards this season. Never mind that former Seattle quarterback Trent Dilfer used to ridicule Tobeck's running form by calling him Morganna, after the buxom Kissing Bandit.

"I had great vision," Tobeck said.

[Last modified February 4, 2006, 00:32:20]