Devin Hester goes out as a Seahawk, basically

Former Seattle Seahawks returner Devin Hester announced his retirement on Tuesday.

I had assumed that Hester officially retired months ago, but I guess not. Hester played in both Seattle playoff games last season, returning six kicks for 214 yards, an average of 35.7 yards per return. He also had a crucial punt return called back on a penalty in the Seahawks divisional round loss to the Falcons.

This season, Tyler Lockett is averaging 25 yards per kick return, with nearly one-third of his total return yards coming against ... the Falcons.

Hester will have an interesting case to be made for the Hall of Fame as he immensely valuable to some team who is not the Seahawks for eight years, totaling 20 total return touchdowns, including one in the postseason in 2006. That year he was perhaps the most valuable player on a non-Seattle team that went to the Super Bowl.

No word on when Hester will be put in the ring of honor, but we thank him for his service with the Seahawks.