Seahawks’ Kam Chancellor appears to be done with football due to neck injury

The Seattle Seahawks have seen several key members of their “Legion of Boom” defense depart this offseason, and it appears that another critical piece of the secondary is done with football. After Richard Sherman signed with divisional rival San Francisco and Michael Bennett departed for the Philadelphia Eagles, the Seahawks are now faced with the loss of the secondary’s most physical player: safety Kam Chancellor.

Chancellor manned the strong safety position for the past seven years, taking over as the starter in 2011 after being a fifth-round draft pick in 2010. A four-time Pro Bowler, Chancellor was the ideal complement to free safety Earl Thomas. While Thomas roamed the middle of the field as the deep safety, Chancellor was free to play in the box and up around the line of scrimmage. As part of that tandem. Chancellor recorded 12 interceptions, nine forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries.

However, injuries have apparently caught up with him, as he suffered a neck injury last season that limited him to just nine games. On Sunday, Chancellor effectively announced that he is finished with football as a result in a post on his Twitter account. Chancellor alludes to his neck injury and notes that his most recent medical scans “showed no healing,” indicating that he will not be cleared to return to football.

Time will tell how the Seahawks deal with Chancellor’s absence, as well as how and when Chancellor formally retires from football. Bradley McDougald would appear to be the most likely candidate to start at strong safety in 2018, as he started nine games at safety last year, most coming after Chancellor’s injury.

The Seahawks play the Green Bay Packers again in this season in what has seemingly become a yearly rivalry. That game will be on Thursday Night Football in week 11. The Packers have won each of the last three meetings between the two franchises, with all three games being held at Lambeau Field. In fact, the home team has won each of the past seven games between the franchises, with the last road win coming from the Packers in Seattle in 2008.

As for Chancellor, he has been shut out of any turnovers or sacks in five career games against the Packers (including the playoffs); he recorded a total of 26 solo and 10 assisted tackles in those contests.

The Packers, of course, are no strangers to neck injuries. Pro Bowl safeties LeRoy Butler and Nick Collins both retired due to neck injuries, along with tight end Jermichael Finley, running back Johnathan Franklin, wide receiver Sterling Sharpe, and others.

We wish Chancellor the best of health as he moves on from football.