Essentially a founding member of the Legion of Boom, Walter Thurmond appears to be hanging up his cleats as reports of his retirement continue.
For a few months now there have been various reports and rumblings that former Seahawk Walter Thurmond — essentially a founding member of the Legion of Boom — is retiring, including from Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News, where Thurmond played last season.
The latest report comes today via ESPN’s Adam Schefter who writes: “Thurmond has told people close to him that he doesn’t want to play football any longer, he wants to pursue other opportunities, and his time in the league is up, according to the source.” NFL Network also has its own report. And at some point, all of these reports mean Thurmond is probably retiring even if he has yet to say anything himself.
Thurmond was a fourth-round pick of the Seahawks in 2010 out of Oregon, with Seattle coaches often saying they thought he would have been a first-rounder had he not had a slew of injuries in college, including a knee injury that cost him most of his senior season in 2009.
After a solid rookie season in 2010 the injury bug again hit and Thurmond was held to just eight games combined in 2011 and 2012. But he stayed healthy in 2013, emerging as the team’s primary nickelback (and actually starting the first two games of the season when Brandon Browner was injured) as Seattle got off to an 11-1 start. Thurmond was then suspended for four games for violating the league’s substances of abuse policy (later revealed for testing for marijuana). But he returned for the playoffs, and got a start in the Super Bowl win over Denver as a nickel corner.
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He was a free agent after the 2013 season and signed a one-year, $3.5 million deal with the Giants in 2014. He then played last year with the Eagles on a one-year, $3.25 million contract.
Last year marked the first time Thurmond, who turns 29 in August, played all 16 games in an NFL season, starting all 16 in a new role with the Eagles as a safety. But while he reportedly had offers he has apparently decided to hang it up
Thurmond becomes the first player who was listed as an official starter for the Seahawks on defense in their 43-8 win over Denver to retire (offensive starters Michael Robinson and Zach Miller have also retired. Oh, and yes, Marshawn Lynch).
Interestingly, Thurmond recently had a few re-Tweets related to concussions, including this New York Times story last week.
Thurmond long had an interest in film and Bowen has reported that Thurmond is already in the midst of directing a movie.
And while Thurmond’s role in a season when the Seahawks won their first Super Bowl means he’ll always have a place in team history, here’s another reason he won’t be soon forgotten: