Once he figures out where the couch goes, where to put his boat in the water and who's going to feed the baby at 3 a.m., Grant Wistrom plans to bundle up his family and head to Lincoln.

The former Nebraska All-America defensive end recently celebrated the birth of son Wyatt with his fiancee Melissa and moved into a new house in suburban Seattle.

Next Saturday, Wistrom, one of the highest-paid players in the NFL, will play host to the third annual Grant Wistrom Foundation Golf Tournament at Quarry Oaks Golf Course near Ashland. A large group of former Husker football players is expected to attend the golf event and a Friday gathering for those taking part in the tournament. Among those expected to attend are Chris and Chad Kelsay, Jared Tomich, Jamie Williams, Rob Zatechka and Christian Peter.

"Lincoln stands for four of the best years of my life, and I have so much to give back to that town and to the university," said Wistrom, who struggled through a series of injuries with the Seattle Seahawks last year. "I hope to get a slice of Lazzari's pizza, get to the campus and see as many old friends as I can, but there never seems enough time."

Still, Wistrom finds time to conduct a series of fund-raisers to benefit children afflicted with cancer and blood disorders. Some of the proceeds help sponsor four patients and a nurse from Camp CoHoLo in Nebraska to go a Circle of Friends trip. Wistrom takes 40 patients to a winter retreat in Wisconsin every year in his Circle of Friends charity. (Further information, call 425-889-1096 or www.grantwistrom.net)

Wistrom said when he was playing for NU and met Kendall Chambers, who was hospitalized with leukemia, that influenced him to start his foundation and keep giving to charity.

"It's growing," Wistrom said. "From friends and old Husker teammates to Brian Young with the Saints, Rich Coady with the Falcons and, now, my former teammate at Nebraska, Chris Kelsay, with Buffalo."

Wistrom also hopes to have plenty of momentum heading into the next NFL season. He left the St. Louis Rams and signed for $14 million with the Seahawks last year. He immediately sparked the Seattle defense, but was sidelined for four games with a knee injury. He returned to the team and played three more games before hurting the same knee and ending his season.

"We saw this team improve and really play some great football," Wistrom said. "We just need to learn to close the deal. We've made some improvements with the draft and I think we're going to be one of those teams winning the close games next year.

"We were so close in so many games last year and just didn't finish it out," he said. "The fact I will be starting the season 100 percent (healthy) for the first time in a long time and our potential as a team has me fired up and ready to get on the field right away.

"It was tough to come in here with all the talk about money and then to miss all those games with an injury," he said.

Reach Ken Hambleton at 473-7313 or at khambleton@journalstar.com.