Subscribe
Follow Us
Seattle Seahawks safety Earl Thomas flipped off his teammates after his leg fracture on Sunday, but many of them still came to his defense. Thomas, a six-time Pro Bowler, held out during the preseason in hopes of negotiating a contract extension. The 29-year-old had become frustrated with his team's refusal to cooperate with his requests. He sought out the money for financial security. He skipped multiple practices and even began to ask for trade opportunities. Despite his inappropriate gesture to the Seahawks bench, Thomas' teammates sympathize with him.
“This is why. I know surface-level thinking tells you he’s making a lot of money. And yeah, he is making a lot of money. But relative to this game, relative to what this role entails — he’s a Hall of Fame-caliber player. He’s the best safety in the league,” Seahawks wide receiver Doug Baldwin said to Matt Calkins of The Seattle Times. “And just like any other profession, you want to be paid accordingly, especially when you have such a high risk of being injured.”
Earl Thomas fractured the same leg he injured previously. He contemplated retirement after the first time, but he battled back to return to the field. There's no telling where Thomas will go from here. He won the Super Bowl with the Seahawks in 2014. All nine of his NFL seasons have been played in Seattle.
Article Continues Below
“I hope it’s not his last game,’’ Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner said. “I hope we can bring him back. We had a lot of great years together. I don’t think you’re ever going to find another player like him. I’ve said that enough. His speed, his intelligence, the way he plays the game. You’ll never see it again.”
The injury will change the dynamic of the Seahawks' secondary. Thomas already had 22 tackles and 3 interceptions this season. If he returns from this injury to play again, teams will probably be reluctant to give him the amount he deserves.
