HOUSTON -- Eugene Seale had just about given up on his dream to play in the National Football League and was a construction worker near his hometown of Jasper, Texas, in September of 1987 when a call came from the Houston Oilers.
Mike Holovak, assistant to the club's general manager, invited Seale to camp as a replacement player when NFL players went on strike. The Lamar University graduate wasted little time making an impact in his first game, returning an interception 73 yards for a touchdown to highlight a 40-10 win over the Denver Broncos.
Seale has remained with the team, and is expected to play an important role Saturday when Houston is at Cleveland in the AFC wild-card game.
Seale previously had been contacted by the Chicago Bears, who offered a free agent contract that he turned down. He then was drafted by the New Jersey Generals of the USFL and, when that league folded, Seale headed north to play for the British Columbia Lions of the Canadian Football League. He was cut and returned home, his dream shattered, until the call came from the Oilers.
'When I first came here, I was thinking, what are my chances of making it?' said Seale, who at 5-foot-10 and 250 pounds looks as though he would be more at home with a jackhammer than on a football field.
'Then as we went on from game to game, as a replacement player, I started getting my confidence back. Then when the real guys came in, I went back to questioning myself. I got cut and then picked back up, and every day I thank God that I'm still here.'
Seale has made an impact, especially on Oiler special teams, where he has recorded two of the team's NFL record five blocked punts.
He also was responsible for a jarring tackle that knocked out Washington return specialist Derrick Shepard in an October game and caused a key fumble that propelled the Oilers to an easy 41-17 win.
'He's fun to be around,' said Oilers Coach Jerry Glanville. 'He's a big-time hitter. He's got great quickness, good speed and unbelievable toughness. He's been a real big plus for the team.'
Hanging in Seale's locker is a metallic blue army helmet, an award given to the player of the week by special teams coach Richard Smith. Before a game, the winner dons the headgear and displays it proudly during pregame warmups.
'Everyone tries to come together as a team and tries to make a contribution to help either the offense or the defense,' Seale said. 'We take pride in every aspect of special teams and I think our coach does, too.'
Seale's aggressive play on the special teams has merited some playing time at inside linebacker. Against Cincinnati, he stepped in front of Tim McGee, intercepted a Boomer Esiason pass, and rambled 45 yards before an astonished and winded Esiason dragged him down.
'I pinch myself every night,' he said. 'It's like a dream that came true just to be here. I just take it a day at a time, and right now my dream is just to make it past Cleveland.'
