Seahawks player suffers injuries during altercation

KIRKLAND, Wash. -- Ken Hamlin of the Seattle Seahawks was in serious but stable condition with head injuries Monday following an early morning fight outside a nightclub.

Hamlin was involved in an altercation with two men who were not in custody, according to police. He had a fractured skull, a small blood clot and bruising of the brain tissue, and would remain in intensive care for the next day or two, team physician Stan Herring said.

"Right now, he is awake intermittently and talking to us," Herring said.

Herring said the most pressing concern whether the blood clot grows.

According to a police report, Hamlin, a safety from Arkansas in his third year, and his girlfriend were leaving the club at about 2 a.m. Monday, several hours after the Seahawks defeated the Houston Texans on Sunday night.

The girlfriend told officers that Hamlin placed his hand on another man's back and said, "Excuse me." The man told Hamlin to stop pushing, and the two men began shoving each other. Hamlin then punched the man in the face. Another man struck Hamlin with his forearm, knocking him down, before the two men began fighting with other men nearby. Other witnesses said one of the men hit Hamlin with some sort of street sign.

The report said Hamlin did not appear intoxicated.