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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, May 28, 2010

NFL: Seahawks abruptly waive RB LenDale White


By GREGG BELL
AP Sports Writer

SEATTLE — The Seahawks have waived running back LenDale White just weeks after the splashy draft-day trade that brought him to Seattle from Tennessee.

General manager John Schneider said Friday that "it became apparent at this time that LenDale was not ready to be a member of the Seattle Seahawks."

He did not elaborate.

The former USC star was seemingly getting a second chance as a pro in Seattle — maybe to even become a starter again — while being reunited with his former college coach, Pete Carroll. Issues with weight, work ethic and the emergence last season of Chris Johnson cost him his job with the Titans.

"I was a lot younger in my mind, honestly," the 25-year-old White said Monday of his early seasons in the NFL and with Tennessee. "I put myself in a lot of situations."

Now, he's in another one.

White posted this message on his Twitter page about an hour after the Seahawks made his release official: "God is good. All the time !!"

The Seahawks gave up on White after he had only limited chances to display his work ethic — and months before he was even going to put on full pads. He participated in just one minicamp and a handful of organized team activities on the practice field before the team waived him.

White had lost more than 45 pounds last year, saying that when he stopped drinking tequila the pounds starting falling off. He was down to 220.

White said he wanted to get back up to 228 pounds for this season. Seattle's starting job seemed within his reach as Carroll opened every position to competition.

He missed one day of organized team activities this month. He said on Monday there was some "family stuff I had to take care of."

Agent Drew Rosenhaus did not immediately return phone and e-mail messages left by The Associated Press. He was on the phone late Friday afternoon with his client sorting out a confusing sequence in which the Seahawks put out an announcement on their website around noon that White had been released, only to take it down soon after.

Hours later, Schneider made it official in a statement released by the team.

Earlier this week, White said he felt great. He thanked Carroll for rescuing him from his dead end in Tennessee.

"Going from 'SC, back-to-back national championships to not playing at all, it's a life-changing thing," White said Monday. "But I'm still here. Pete gave me another chance.

"I don't think I've been this healthy since I was 18 years old."

Carroll said Monday that the team would see how everything fit together. "He's got a long ways to go to get back in here with this club, but we're going to certainly wait it out and see how it does," he said.

The wait lasted all of four days.

"It just did not appear to be the right fit at this point in our program," Schneider said. "We wish LenDale all the best with his future."