K.J. Wright signed a one-day contract with the Seattle Seahawks on Wednesday so that he could retire as a Seahawk. The veteran linebacker spent 10 seasons as a starter with the Seahawks and won Super Bowl XLVIII with them.
Wright played 11 seasons in the NFL and starred for the Seahawks during their most successful spell in history. As a Seahawk, he was part of one of the best defensive units in the league and helped the team win the only Super Bowl championship in its history in 2014.
Wanted to Play One More Season
Before signing his ceremonial one-day contract with the Seahawks, Wright spent one season with the Las Vegas Raiders. After leaving the Raiders, he expressed a desire to be a Seahawk for more than a day and wanted to play his 12th NFL season in Seattle.
However, the Seahawks were clear they would field younger players in their defense, so Wright decided to retire after all. And he decided to do that in Seattle, the place where he started his career.
Will Stay Close to the Team
Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said the ceremony was really emotional and that Wright brought several family members with him to watch him sign the one-day contract.
Carroll called Wright a “fantastic kid” and a “remarkable leader.” He said he completely understood why Wright got emotional when he signed his name on the dotted line for one last time and that he was trying to absorb all of the memories he made in the 11 seasons and 230 NFL games he played.
Carroll added that Wright still had a future with the Seahawks and that he hoped that they would manage to “keep him close to the program” and that he would be able “to do more work” with Wright in the future.
Seahawks Running Back Chris Carson Retired Too
K.J Wright was not the only Seahawk to announce his retirement from playing professional football. Running back Chris Carson announced that he will no longer play in the NFL only a day before Wright did.
Carson has been struggling to recover from a neck injury he picked up last season. Coach Carroll said it was “a shame” that Carson’s neck didn’t get better and that he didn’t make any progress when they examined him a month ago.
Carroll added that even though Carson “worked like crazy” to recover from his injury, he knew he might be forced to call it a career, so in a way, he had some time to process and accept his situation.
Carson was released by the Seahawks on Tuesday and because the reason for his release is a failed physical designation, he is entitled to a portion of his 2022 salary.
Quick Links:
