Chancellor’s message must resonate with teammates

By Michael Grey

NFL Championship teams are a rare thing. The window of opportunity to win the Lombardi Trophy is incredibly short, even for the most established of franchises (just ask Tom Brady).

So when Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor told SiriusXM radio Monday, “We have to grow up and move past that. That’s pretty much the message right now, growing up and not making the same mistakes over and over,” it had better resonate with the young nucleus of the roster, and soon.

Whether it’s Bruce Irvin, Richard Sherman or even Russell Wilson, the young players on this Seahawks roster have to know that they answer not only for themselves with their actions on and off the field but they also answer to the veterans that know how rare these championship opportunities are.

Look no further than Percy Harvin, who spent his first years in the league playing alongside arguably the best player in football in Adrian Peterson without any postseason success. Stroll across the locker room and talk to Cliff Avril about what it’s like to play an entire 16-game schedule without a single win, something that has happened exactly once in NFL history.

Players have been drawn to Seattle for a chance to win a ring and those hopes hang largely on the execution from the young end of this roster. One way or another the youth need to learn the lessons of the elders without the grace of the years it took the vets.

Whether it’s growing up or maturing or simply realizing how fleeting your years in the NFL are, these young players need to be convinced of what is on the line, and not just for them. It could mean the difference between realizing championship potential or ending up as further proof just how heavy the weight of NFL championship expectations are.

Chancellor is on board, the clock is ticking on the rest of the Hawks roster.