Former Seahawks receiver Golden Tate returns to Pacific Northwest... as a baseball player

Former Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Golden Tate is back in the Pacific Northwest, but not to re-sign with the Seahawks, or to even play football.

Tate’s next phase of life as a professional athlete is as a baseball player. He’s signed a contract with the Port Angeles Lefties of the West Coast League. Tate is expected to play as a center fielder as soon as this Tuesday evening against the Bend Elks. The WCL is reserved for players who have had at least one year of college under their belt and at least a year of eligibility left, in which case Tate qualifies since he went to the NFL Draft as a junior.

“I am extremely thankful to the West Coast League and the Port Angeles Lefties for allowing me to join their league,” Tate said in a statement. “As some might know, I was drafted twice in baseball. As a child, my first love was baseball, so I’m excited about the opportunity to compete against some of the best young players in the league. I look forward to having a lot of fun and exploring baseball more.”

Tate played baseball in high school and posted a .329 batting average in his sophomore year at Notre Dame. He concentrated exclusively on football after that and was drafted by the Seahawks in 2010. Tate was part of the Super Bowl winning squad before heading to the Detroit Lions in free agency.

The 33-year-old has been out of NFL action since 2020, his last year with the New York Giants. Last season he was signed to the Tennessee Titans practice squad but never played a snap and was released before the postseason began.

All the best to Golden and good luck to him as he lives out his baseball dream!