‘Time for the next chapter’: Seahawks’ Kam Chancellor hints at retirement
Jul 1, 2018, 4:42 PM | Updated: 7:33 pm
Kam Chancellor, an original member of the Legion of Boom, is a four-time Pro Bowler. (AP)
(AP)
It appears Seahawks great Kam Chancellor has played his last snap in the NFL.
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The four-time Pro Bowl strong safety posted a message on his Twitter account Sunday afternoon that indicates he is walking away from the game due to the risk of paralysis following a season-ending neck injury last year, making a reference that is “time for the next chapter.”
Gods Grace 🙏🏿🙏🏿🙏🏿 pic.twitter.com/60J2DugpD1
— Kameron Chancellor (@KamChancellor) July 1, 2018
A particularly notable part of Chancellor’s message is this statement: “The wheels didn’t fall off, but God has given me a sign that I just can’t ignore. I’ve played through all types of bruises and injuries at a high level. But this one, I just can’t ignore.”
Chancellor’s message doesn’t include the word retire, and he’s unlikely to for another two years, per Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. If Chancellor were to retire, he would forfeit his guaranteed base salary of $6.2 million this year and $5.2 million in 2019.
Chancellor, 30, was an original member of the Seahawks’ Legion of Boom secondary, helping bring the first Super Bowl championship to Seattle at the end of the 2013 season. He was well-known around the league for being one of the hardest hitters in the game, and he served roles both as enforcer and one of the leaders on the Seahawks’ defense.
Over Chancellor’s eight-year career, the Virginia Tech product recorded nine forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, 12 interceptions, two sacks, a safety and 434 over 109 games. After playing 16 games in reserve as a rookie, he started the final 93 games of his career.
While Chancellor suffered his neck injury in Week 10 of the 2017 season during a game in Arizona, injury concerns started to mount in previous seasons after years of being one of the most physical defensive players in the NFL. He underwent surgery on both ankles prior to the 2017 season, and the Seahawks have focused on adding new secondary pieces in the draft over the past two years.
With Chancellor apparently retired, free safety Earl Thomas is the Seahawks’ only remaining original member of the Legion of Boom, one of the greatest secondaries in the history of the NFL. Thomas is currently holding out, too, in hopes of securing a contract extension. Cornerback Richard Sherman was released and signed with the San Francisco 49ers earlier this offseason.
