In a press release on Thursday, the Seattle Seahawks announced that they have terminated the contracts of two of the franchise’s all-time best players, wide receiver Doug Baldwin and safety Kam Chancellor.
Doug Baldwin, Kam Chancellor Released by Seattle Seahawks
Both were released with the failed physical designation. Chancellor has not played since 2017 due to a serious neck injury, and since then it has been expected that he would retire soon.
Baldwin missed three games in 2018 due to a neck injury, and according to Ian Rapoport, could be done playing football.
The #Seahawks have released WR Doug Baldwin with a failed physical designation, potentially ending his storied career.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 9, 2019
Around the NFL Draft, news broke that Baldwin’s multiple knee injuries may force him to retire, and it appears that was the case.
Both players were a part of Seattle’s 2014 Super Bowl championship and were viewed as among the best at their positions for the majority of their careers.
Baldwin finished with 493 catches for 6,563 yards and 49 touchdowns. His route running will long be used as an example for young players to follow.
Chancellor ended his career with 641 tackles and 44 passes defended. He was a menacing presence in the secondary and a leader of the Legion of Boom.
Baldwin and Chancellor are just two examples of Seahawks general manager John Schneider‘s ability to find diamonds in the rough. Chancellor was a fifth-round selection in 2010 and Baldwin went undrafted a year later, yet both players made multiple Pro Bowls.
Losing Chancellor was a huge blow, but his absence is something the team has been able to plan for since 2017. Baldwin is a bigger loss because it was more sudden. Second-round pick D.K. Metcalf has some big shoes to fill along with Tyler Lockett and David Moore.
It’s a sad day for Seattle fans, as two team legends are now gone. But fans still have the memory of the 2014 Super Bowl to hold onto, as well as a promising team moving forward.
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