The Seattle Seahawks vaunted “Legion of Boom” defensive backfield has lost another member. Safety Kam Chancellor has announced (at least something of) a retirement from football.
The announced came Sunday night via Chancellor’s Twitter account:
Gods Grace ?????? pic.twitter.com/60J2DugpD1
— Kameron Chancellor (@KamChancellor) July 1, 2018
Last December, the Seahawks put their star safety on Injured Reserve when Chancellor went down with a neck injury. His status for this upcoming season (and beyond) was called into question due to the nature of the injury (neck injuries have ended several NFL careers in the past). This announcement, obviously, leaves no doubt that it was serious enough to at least play a factor into Chancellor’s decision. Perhaps it even left him no choice. Should he ever receive medical clearance to play again, that would appear to change the equation enough that he may consider returning. But as of now, his neck will keep him off the field.
Now former #Seahawks S Kam Chancellor isn’t officially retiring, he just wasn’t cleared medically to play again. Big difference. That means $6.2M this year and $5.2M of his base salary next year are guaranteed.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 1, 2018
As for Seattle, the departure of the 30-year-old Chancellor shifts them more into something of a rebuild. Especially in the defensive backfield. Earl Thomas is still aboard, and Byron Maxwell – who played for the Seahawks from 2011 to 2015 before leaving for Miami and Philadelphia – returned to the northwest last season. Maxwell, though part of the dominant defenses of Seattle past, proved hardly as essential as Chancellor, Thomas, and Richard Sherman. Together, they formed one of the best defensive backfield units in NFL history, if not the very best. Sherman suffered an Achilles injury in November of 2017 then signed with the San Francisco 49ers in the offseason as a free agent.
Kam Chancellor was drafted by Seattle out of Virginia Tech with the 133rd overall pick (fifth round) in the 2010 NFL Draft. Since then, he has accounted for 434 tackles, 207 assisted tackles, 12 interceptions, nine fumbles forced, and two sacks.
Further, Chancellor will go down as one of an elite group of defensive NFL players whose mere presence on the field could change the dynamic of a game. He played the safety position with a linebacker-like physicality that few have ever done. In 2013 and 2014, he was named to the Associated Press’ All-Pro Second Team and was a four-time Pro Bowler.
