Seattle Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor has officially announced his retirement from football after eight years in the NFL.
Last season, the 30-year old suffered a severe neck injury that Chancellor now reveals could very well leave him paralyzed if he takes the chances of getting back on the field.
“I always prayed to God and told myself that I would play this game of football until the wheels fall off. Well the wheels didn’t fall off, but God has given me a sign that I just can’t ignore,” Chancellor penned in a heartfelt message in tribute to his love for the game and his faith. “I’ve played through all types of bruises and injuries at a high level. But this one, I just can’t ignore. To walk away from the game by choice is one thing, to walk away from the game because of the risk of paralysis is another. My final test showed no healing. I put all my blood, sweat, and tears into this game […] I’ve learned so many valuable lessons 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.”
In his entire career, Chancellor has been a Seahawk after being drafted to the team in the fifth round of the 2010 NFL draft. He’s gone on to the Pro Bowl four times and even earned a championship title when the Seahawks took out the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII, and playing a role in Seattle’s Legion of Boom defensive line that dominated the league between 2011 and 2017.