The writing had been on the wall pretty much since he got injured last year, but now it’s sort of official:  Kam Chancellor won’t be playing football anymore.  He had a devastating neck injury and the wrong hit could effectively paralyze him, so really it makes sense.

It’s a bummer, obviously.  It sucks because he’s still close to his prime; he can certainly play at a very high level if not for this neck thing.  The skills haven’t diminished.  But, that’s the game.  That’s why you see all these broken-down ex-football players nowadays.  Shit’s violent.

It also sucks because the Seahawks owe a considerable amount of money to a guy who can’t contribute, for this year and next.  I think I heard something in the range of $5 million is guaranteed in 2019; saying nothing of the massive amount against our cap in 2018.  But, if you were hoping for a Seahawks spending spree next year, just know that there’s a considerable chunk of dead money looming.

It wouldn’t suck nearly as much if we could’ve just gotten another year out of him, but really this is the worst-case scenario given the timing of him signing his extension.  And, of course, the spill-over has the Seahawks more than a little cautious to extend Earl Thomas (particularly when there’s still a year left on his deal, which is what we did for Kam) and I frankly don’t blame them.  Of course, Earl could go on to play another 10 years in some capacity; but would it shock you if he went down with a similar neck-type injury in the middle of this season?

Kam goes down as one of the greatest Seahawks of all time, and is a sure-fire Ring of Honor member at some point.  Is he a Hall of Famer?  Probably not, but then again, he’s already one of the most revered players in the game today.  The legend of Kam Chancellor will only grow and grow over time, as we look back at all his ferocious hits.  The way he could impact a game without doing a thing; just being an intimidating presence.  That shit goes a LONG way in NFL circles.  He certainly wouldn’t be a first ballot guy, but who knows?  20 years down the line, we’ll think back to this era and remember a titan of the game.  A titan cut down before his time.

Also, not for nothing, but it’s time to right the wrong that was the Super Bowl XLVIII MVP.  Malcolm Smith was in the right place at the right time, but Kam Chancellor was the REAL MVP of that game, and he deserves to be recognized officially.