Amid COVID-19 Pandemic, Seahawks RB Travis Homer Staying on Top of His Game

Forced into a starting role late in his rookie season due to injuries to Chris Carson and Rashaad Penny, Homer aims to build off a strong finish using unconventional training methods during the coronavirus pandemic.

Last April, Travis Homer found himself in the midst of a hectic schedule, participating in the annual scouting combine, Miami's pro day, and various interviews looking to impress prospective NFL teams.

After declaring for the 2019 draft as an early entrant, Homer finally heard his name called midway through the sixth round. Seeking a quality third-down back option, the Seahawks became enthralled by his diverse skill set and versatility.

“We actually had him in the third down category because he had such good hands coming out of the backfield," general manager John Schneider said following the draft. "Really good instincts. Just a really, really tough.”

Early in the season, Homer carved out a role as a key special teams contributor, failing to attempt a run in a game until Week 13 on a fake punt against Minnesota. But once Chris Carson, Rashaad Penny, and C.J. Prosise went down to season-ending injuries, Seattle's once-deep backfield started to resemble a M.A.S.H. unit.

Forced into action as the last back standing, Homer teamed up with suddenly unretired legend Marshawn Lynch and started the Seahawks season finale, producing 92 yards on 15 touches in tight 26-21 loss to the 49ers. He also saw meaningful action in two playoff games, seeking advice from "Beast Mode" anytime he could.

Fast forwarding one year later, Homer expected to be preparing for his first full NFL offseason, building off a strong finish to his rookie season. Seattle and all 31 other teams were supposed to be kicking off organized activities later this month.

Instead, like the rest of the world, Homer's plans have been put on hold indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Though free agency went on as scheduled and the draft will commence later this month, nearly everything else in the sports universe has come to screeching halt.

Public gyms closed down due to stay-at-home laws to prevent spread of the virus, while NFL facilities remain off limits for the time being. Current draft hopefuls haven't been able to participate in pro days and interviews have been limited to Skype and other online platforms.

Like most professional athletes, Homer has been forced to adjust his training regimen.

"It's definitely tough," Homer said, discussing the difficulties finding a quality place to run and do necessary agility drills. "Because a lot of these fields, they have little bumps in it. I can't really find a flat field."

Adapting on the fly to avoid injury, Homer has been able to make due, doing drill work on a small turf surface at a private gym he has access to. He purchased some fitness equipment online in an effort to stay in top shape in quarantine.

Homer's other passion - which he made sure to illustrate by raising his trusty PlayStation controller during our interview - has also helped him make the most of a challenging situation and maintain contact with teammates and friends.

An avid gamer, Homer has been taking care of his competitive itch by playing Call of Duty, which has remained his go-to leisure activity while practicing social distancing. Just don't expect him to play the popular Madden title anytime soon.

"I was playing Madden with my friends, but they started cheating," Homer smiled. "And they wanted to do a draft without me and I was like 'forget it, I'm not doing this anymore."

While everyone adjusts to a new way of life in unprecedented times and the league tries to plan for an uncertain future, Homer has kept his focus on what he can control to stay on top of his game.

To offset lost practice time, Homer has been keeping his nose in Seattle's playbook, scanning over notes he took throughout his rookie season. Since teams don't know when they will be allowed to reconvene, or when any professional sports will be able to start back up for that matter, he believes staying connected with teammates will be critical until football-related activities return.

For now, players are using typical methods to accomplish this, maintaining lines of communication through texting, the internet, and in Homer's case, gaming. But the second-year back hopes Roger Goodell's reported plans for "virtual offseason programs" comes to fruition to help bridge the gap.

In fact, Homer pitched his own idea to utilize technology as a means for supporting players and coaches in coming months, though he knows the current situation with everyone housed in may prevent it from being feasible.

"One thing I really like is virtual reality, but you gotta have a lot of open space for that. But I think virtual reality would be something cool to implement sometime down the road."

It's a long shot Homer and other NFL players will be able to make virtual defenders miss or practice pursuit drills in the confines of their living room, at least right now. Maybe someday the NFL will work with EA Sports or 2K Sports to adopt such technology as a supplement to offseason field work.

In the meantime, Homer will pass much of his extensive free time improving his craft with the resources at his disposal. Though it seems far away in the present, he will hit the ground running when the time comes to return, ready to soak in the crowd noise at CenturyLink Field once again.

And of course, much to his delight, there will be plenty of hours of gaming to fill the void.