KIRKLAND, Wash. — Joe Jurevicius won't parade around the Seattle Seahawks' locker room telling everyone about his playoff experience or his two trips to the Super Bowl.

Far from it, actually.

"I've never been a vocal guy like that," Jurevicius said Wednesday. "If they ask me, I'll tell them. I honestly believe it's the biggest game of our careers."

Jurevicius understands the magnitude of Sunday's NFC title game when Seattle hosts Carolina. It'll be the third time Jurevicius has played for the right to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl — and he's been successful in both previous attempts.

In the 2001 NFC title game, Jurevicius had two catches and a touchdown as the New York Giants beat Minnesota. Two years later, he helped the Tampa Bay Buccaneers win in Philadelphia and then beat Oakland in the Super Bowl.

Now the Penn State grad trying to make it 3-for-3, and help provide the Seahawks with their first shot at a Super Bowl.

Before last weekend's 20-10 win over Washington, the Seahawks had not won a playoff game in 21 years. They've played in one title game, losing to the Los Angeles Raiders in the 1984 AFC championship.

"I feel fortunate to be there now with three different teams," Jurevicius said. "I think once that game gets here, it's just going to kind of sink in."

The veteran wide receiver is among a few Seahawks players who have reached a conference championship game. Six others have, and four were winners.

Punter Tom Rouen has the most experience, winning a pair of Super Bowls in Denver in the late 1990s. Defensive end Grant Wistrom twice won NFC titles while with St. Louis. Center Robbie Tobeck was part of Atlanta's NFC title squad in 1999, and defensive tackle Chartric Darby was a teammate of Jurevicius with the Bucs in 2003.

"I don't know if we have talked to those guys as much as we see how they conduct themselves," quarterback Matt Hasselbeck said. "Joe has just been going about his business like he has all year. ... You just continue to be professional."

Cornerback Andre Dyson was with Tennessee when the Titans lost to Oakland in 2003, and defensive end Rodney Bailey was with Pittsburgh in 2002.

"You can't get too involved in changing things and get too involved in the game because you won't play a smart game," Dyson said. "You won't play how you are capable of playing."

The circumstances surrounding this run to the NFC championship are far less trying for Jurevicius. His son, Michael, was born during the 2003 playoffs, and Jurevicius and his wife, Meagan, were told that he would live no more than 72 hours.

Instead, his son fought for more than two months before dying due to complications from sialidosis, a neurodegenerative disease.

In the meantime, Jurevicius played in both the NFC championship in Philadelphia and Tampa Bay's victory over Oakland in the Super Bowl. The organization arranged a private plane so Jurevicius could spend as much time as needed with his wife and son.

Against the Eagles, his 71-yard catch and run set up a touchdown that put the Buccaneers ahead, and is considered by many the biggest play in Buccaneers franchise history.

In the Super Bowl, Jurevicius had four catches for 78 yards, despite flying back and forth from San Diego to Tampa in the days leading up to the game.

"I wouldn't change anything that happened. I think it helped kind of mold me to be a better person, a better man, a better husband, a better football player," Jurevicius said.

He was brought to Seattle to be a sure-handed No. 3 receiver. When injuries sidelined Darrell Jackson and Bobby Engram, Jurevicius carried the load, quickly developing a strong relationship with Hasselbeck.

Jurevicius led the Seahawks with 10 receiving touchdowns and was second behind Engram with 55 receptions. Jurevicius gladly took a backseat last week, when he had just one catch and Jackson finished with nine catches for 143 yards and a touchdown.

"I realized that when I came in here, Matt had some receivers he was used to playing with. I just felt my job was to come in here and help where needed," Jurevicius said.

"I just look forward to continue trying to make plays and help this team get to their first Super Bowl."