Seattle Seahawks fullback Owen Schmitt understands he has to be careful with his carefree image because of his status as an NFL player, and particularly because the league recently suspended Donte Stallworth indefinitely without pay after his guilty plea to DUI manslaughter in the death of Mario Reyes, “Thank God it didn’t happen like that because then you’ve got to even live with those consequences as well,†he said. “You have to be more responsible. You kind of don’t really think about it. You’re set to a higher standard definitely more than anyone else, really, in a situation where something would have occurred like that. “So, yeah, it definitely makes you think twice, and just changes your attitude about how you want to be displayed and put forth in the media and whatnot. You want to be an outstanding, good person. And that’s who I am. I’m not a bad person. I’m a good person who made a bad decision.†Seattle head coach Jim Mora said Schmitt has handled the situation well. “Certainly that was a turning point in his life, and you don’t go through that and make that mistake without it affecting you,†Mora said. “But I don’t want to say he put it behind him, because I think that slights the event. But he’s done a nice job of focusing on moving forward in a positive way. And I commend him for that.†Source: The News Tribune
