KIKRLAND, Wash. -- Jordan Babineaux signed a five-year extension with the Seattle Seahawks on Tuesday opting not to test free agency in the offseason.
Babineaux, nicknamed "Big Play Babs" by his teammates, could have become an unrestricted free agent after the 2007 season, but will now remain in a Seahawks uniform through the 2012 season.
Babineaux was signed by Seattle as an undrafted free agent in 2004 after a standout career at Division II Southern Arkansas. He played in six games on special teams that season, before earning his monicker during the Seahawks' NFC championship season in 2005 with big plays on special teams and as an extra defensive back.
In a game on Oct. 9, 2005, Babineaux forced the Rams' Shaun McDonald to fumble late in the fourth quarter. Seattle then ran out the clock for a 37-31 win, its first at St. Louis since 1997.
Two weeks later at home against Dallas, Babineaux intercepted a pass from Drew Bledsoe and returned it 25 yards with 5 seconds left. Josh Brown kicked the winning field goal on the next play for a 13-10 Seahawks win -- part of a team-record 11-game winning streak.
Last year, Babineaux started eight regular season games at safety, but his most memorable moment came in the NFC wild-card playoffs against Dallas. Babineaux sprinted across the field and grabbed the shoe of Dallas' Tony Romo. The Cowboys quarterback was about to score a touchdown after he dropped the snap on a potential game-winning 19-yard field goal with 1:19 left, and Seattle held on for the 21-20 win.
Babineaux has made six tackles in Seattle's first two games this season.
Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press
