Last season, Kam Chancellor suffered a season-ending neck injury. On Sunday, the Seahawks safety posted a message to Twitter suggesting that because of the injury he's played his last game.
Gods Grace 🙏🏿🙏🏿🙏🏿 pic.twitter.com/60J2DugpD1
— Kameron Chancellor (@KamChancellor) July 1, 2018
"I've played through all types of bruises and injuries at a high level," Chancellor wrote. "But this one, I just can't ignore. When the doctors told me what was going on in November, I could feel my heart drop to my stomach. The stiffness in my neck and the images that I saw had me at one of my lowest points as a man, because football is all I knew outside of serving the Lord. To walk away from the game by choice is one thing, to walk away from the game because the risk of paralysis is another. My final test showed no healing. ...
"I've learned so many valuable lessons that I can take with me on the next journey. How to use them? I don't know yet. But I will wait for his instructions. ... Thank you again for all of the support and Love from everyone all over. Good or Bad its all received with Love. Time for the Next chapter. Lord take the wheel...
"PS: Pray for your boy. I have no clue how these head injuries will go after the game. What I do know is that my God is stronger. Peace and Love."
In late May, Chancellor spoke frankly about the possibility he'd be able to return to the NFL.
"If my body says I can play, I'm playing," he said at the time. "If my body says don't play, I'm not playing. I'll listen. I'm a very good listener."
True to his word, Chancellor seems set to move on from football based on the results of his most recent medical test. But according to NFL.com's Ian Rapoport, Chancellor isn't officially retiring, he just wasn't medically cleared to play. This means that his $6.2 million salary in 2018 and $5.2 million salary in 2019 are guaranteed.
Chancellor would become the latest member of the Legion of Boom to leave Seattle. Richard Sherman was released earlier this offseason and there was speculation that safety Earl Thomas might be traded though he remains with the team. But pass rusher Cliff Avril retired after suffering a serious injury last season, and defensive end Michael Bennett was traded to the Eagles in March. As a result, the Seahawks' defense, which was an integral part of the team's five straight playoff appearances from 2012-2016 that included two Super Bowls and a Lombardi Trophy, is now in full-on rebuilding mode.
Originally a 2010 fifth-round pick out of Virginia Tech, Chancellor, 30, was named to four Pro Bowls.
