When wide receiver Jermaine Kearse caught quarterback Russell Wilson’s Hail Mary pass for a 35-yard touchdown 3:19 into overtime at the Jan. 18 NFC Championship game, it signaled the Seahawks’ improbable defeat against the Green Bay Packers and the team’s return to the Super Bowl.
On the sidelines, Dr. Jim Kurtz, owner of NW Sports Rehab in Federal Way and one of two of the Seahawks’ medical team chiropractors, had the perfect vantage point to watch the winning game quickly unravel.
Much earlier on, with the Seahawks many points behind the Packers, Kurtz said he witnessed 12th man fans pouring out of CenturyLink field. He felt sorry for the fans who decided to leave. Moments later, they regretted their decision and began pounding on the gate pleading to come back in to watch the Hawks ultimately defeat the Packers.
“There were so many things in the game that could’ve gone either way,” Kurtz said. “You look at the players in these situations and they don’t look nervous and upset. They continue to believe they can win the game, despite what seems to be insurmountable odds.”
Now in his fifth season with the Seahawks as part of an 18-member medical team, Kurtz said he’s living in a dream world now that he’s returning with the Hawks to the Super Bowl.
Kurtz traveled to Super Bowl XLVIII exactly a year ago when the Seahawks played against the Denver Broncos, soundly defeating the AFC team 43-8.
“I get to enjoy the fruits of their labor,” Kurtz said.
Kurtz and the team flew out of Seattle on Sunday, Jan. 25 and have been part of the festivities in Glendale, Arizona leading up to Super Bowl XLIX, including a media day that saw running back Marshawn Lynch speaking to reporters only to prevent an unwanted hefty $500,000 fine.
Kurtz said each day of the week leading up to the Super Bowl starts with two to three hours of treatments on the players in the morning before being bussed to a practice facility, followed by weight training and more treatments.
Treatments include adjustments, manual therapy and sports massage techniques.
Kurtz has been in chiropractic sports medicine for 25 years. He and his wife, Ming Ming Su-Brown are co-owners of NW Sports Rehab.
A visit to Kurtz’s Federal Way office paints a picture of how passionate the doctor is in helping professional athletes be the best they can be on and off the field.
Pictures of star athletes and award recognitions blanket much of the four walls in Kurtz’s office.
For four seasons, Kurtz was the chiropractor for the Seattle Sounders soccer team. He also spent four years on the U.S. Olympics medical team and represented the Paralympic and Olympic teams in Brazil in 2007 and in Beijing in 2008.
“I love sports,” Kurtz said. “I love working in a team environment with other medical professionals. I enjoy working (with professionals) who are at the top of their game.”
Though the 2014 Lombardi Trophy is under lock and key, Kurtz is proud to wear his 2014 Super Bowl XLVIII ring.
It’s surprisingly lightweight. Inscribed on the inside are the often-heard, indelible quotes of Seahawks Head Coach Pete Carroll: “Leave No Doubt 24/7” and “What’s Next?”
“I’ve been lucky to be involved with a team that’s so successful,” Kurtz said. “I’m super blessed. Pete Carroll is a positive person. He is what you see on TV.”
