Seahawks’ Kam Chancellor responds to being labeled NFL’s most overrated by columnist
Jul 21, 2016, 3:22 PM | Updated: Jul 22, 2016, 12:57 pm
Kam Chancellor spent his entire eight-year career with the Seahawks. (AP)
(AP)
Seahawks strong safety Kam Chancellor initially played nice after being labeled the NFL’s most overrated player by CBS Sports columnist Pete Prisco, but he responded more defensively Thursday to what he called “ignorant” critics who don’t understand the intricacies of Seattle’s defense.
Here was Prisco’s rationale:
“He’s a solid NFL safety, but his reputation would make you think he’s Ronnie Lott in his prime. Chancellor is a big hitter, which is why the highlight shows love him, but he has never been good in coverage and that was exposed even more last season. In the past four seasons, he has six interceptions and he doesn’t do a great job when asked to cover tight ends. The game has changed. Some 10 to 15 years ago Chancellor would have been an all-out star. But with offenses spread out, he’s becoming more of a liability. To be fair, he did hold out last season and missed two games, and never seemed to regain his form of a few years ago. I’ve always said I would take a cover player over a big hitter, which is why Chancellor is the guy who tops my list of the NFL’s Most Overrated.”
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Chancellor took the critique in stride at first, responding to Prisco on Twitter: “thank you for the publicity .. God Bless you!!! The only Judgement I care about is God. You are doing a great Job in your field!!”
When Prisco replied, “Nothing personal. Football evaluation. Same to you,” Chancellor started to hint at his true feelings:
None taken. It’s your job to stir things up. I’m just a 2star 5th round pick with a ring, 2 appearances and blessed https://t.co/BGGTS2DPVL
— The Enforcer (@Kam_Chancellor) July 20, 2016
Chancellor’s tune completely changed a day later in another series of tweets that never specifically reference Prisco.
These critics look more and more ignorant at how much they don’t know about Football and Defense.
— The Enforcer (@Kam_Chancellor) July 21, 2016
Everybody sees a TE catch a ball or scores and says oh that’s Kams fought haha. Learn Defense. Don’t believe everything you hear.
— The Enforcer (@Kam_Chancellor) July 21, 2016
I’m strong enough to take the blame but please learn our defense first before you go believing everything you hear and read. Get educated
— The Enforcer (@Kam_Chancellor) July 21, 2016
While the Seahawks did struggle covering tight ends at times last season, 710 ESPN Seattle’s Brock Huard said it’s extremely difficult to judge a single player as responsible because of the way Seattle mixes its concepts and schemes on a weekly basis. Huard said any blanket statement about Chancellor’s coverage skills are improper.
“To try and pin it all on Kam Chancellor is wholly unfair,” Huard said. “To call him the most overrated player misses badly.”
Huard compared Chancellor’s physical presence to the intimidation factor that Felix Hernandez brings on the mound for the Mariners.
“They all look: ‘When do I see Felix? Do I see Felix in this series? Thank goodness I don’t have to see Felix.’ That’s still Kam Chancellor. He’s still absolutely the great enforcer in this league,” Huard said. “Ask (Cardinals guard) Mike Iupati how overrated Kam Chancellor is physically. (Prisco’s column) is a headline grabber but his analysis falls short because trying to judge these coverages, for this team in particular, is a very difficult task.”
