Kam Chancellor doesn’t sound like a player ready to retire

The Seahawks lost two Pro Bowl secondary players for the season in a Thursday night game against the Arizona Cardinals — I just want to keep emphasizing that as many times as possible. Cornerback Richard Sherman tore his Achilles that night, but nobody has really doubted his eventual return. Not so with strong safety Kam Chancellor, because “neck and spine injuries” are not something you can dismiss without months of testing and monitoring and understanding.

Earlier this week, Seattle head coach Pete Carroll expressed doubt when asked if Chancellor and defensive end Cliff Avril (similar area of injuries) could return, saying “they are going to have a hard time playing football again.” On a Friday Instagram posts, Chancellor didn’t sound like he was about to give up without a fight.

“When “They” tell you its not possible. “God” shows you otherwise.”

Nobody is pushing Chancellor to get back to the field any time soon, including the fans, because of the nature of his injuries. It’s also understandable when an injury shocks a player into a state of consciousness that football is dangerous — see: Thomas, Earl, 2016 — but the 29-year-old Chancellor appears ready to rehab.

On another hand, there’s just no incentive for Chancellor to retire or to feign retirement. The Seahawks owe Chancellor a lot of guaranteed money in 2018 and the only way they can get it off the books is if he retires. Chancellor has months ahead to rest, heal, and rehab. The fact that he’s displaying a mindset to do just that and return next season, even if he doesn’t end up coming back for his own personal well-being, is a good sign.