Seattle Seahawks safety Earl Thomas tweeted earlier this month that he is contemplating retirement, and the common belief was that he was overreacting to being ruled out for the season with a broken leg. Not so, says the 27-year-old veteran.
During an appearance on “The Rich Eisen Show” Tuesday, Thomas was asked if he is still thinking about calling it a career.
“I’m kind of just enjoying waking up in the morning without the pressure,” he said. “Peace is starting to return to me, and I think that’s my ultimate goal in life. I just want to have peace. … I don’t know, man. I’m kind of caught in between right now.”
When Eisen specifically asked if Thomas was reacting emotionally when he sent his tweet on Dec. 4, the five-time Pro Bowler admitted emotions played a role but said his thoughts have not changed much.
“Of course emotions were taking over me, but I was still thinking clearly,” Thomas said. “I still kind of feel the same way. It’s a lot of pressure when you play this game. I play at a high level and my teammates expect me to do what I do. It’s all about recommitting myself, and I don’t know. I never want to step on the football field halfheartedly.”
The injury Thomas suffered was quite gruesome, and you can watch the video here if you so choose. While 27 seems like a very young age for retirement, we have seen more and more NFL players retire young in recent years because of the toll the game takes on their bodies. Thomas will have plenty of time to think about his decision, and he sounds like he will use all of that time.
