Long-time former Seattle Seahawks linebacker K.J. Wright recently sat down with fellow Raiders LB Will Compton on his podcast to discuss his career in the Emerald City and his current relationship with the Seahawks organization. Wright recalled his 2021 offseason, in which he went months without receiving a single call from an NFL team before he eventually signed a one-year contract with Las Vegas. He found this perplexing, as he turned in a solid 2020 season at age 31.
“Yeah so, I put together a very, very… in my eyes, a Ring of Honor career. . . I just did, got the Super Bowls, got the Pro Bowls, almost got 1,000 tackles in Seattle… I’m, like, seven, eight away. I just had a stellar career. Cracked the [NFL] Top 100 for the first time, No. 67. But if you look at that list, I’m the only guy that was a free agent. I’m like, ‘How the hell did I put together this really good career, first of all, put together this really good year 10 and don’t nobody want me?'”
When Compton pressed Wright about the possibility of returning to the Seahawks, Wright revealed he had discussions with coach Pete Carroll about the situation he would find himself in if he returned, as they had young linebackers Jordyn Brooks and Cody Barton waiting in the wings.
“When it came down to sign with the Raiders, I called Pete. I said, ‘Pete, I’ve got this offer on the table, I really don’t want to leave. I don’t want to leave, I want to stay in Seattle. Is there anything we can do? I’ll take a lesser role, I understand you want to play Jordyn, I’ll come off the field. What can we do so I stay in Seattle?’ He’s like, ‘Ah KJ, I hate this. Let me talk to [general manager] John [Schneider] and let’s see if we can get something done.'”
Ultimately, it seemed like the Seahawks were confident enough in their future at the linebacker position to refrain from giving Wright what he wanted in regards to money, even though he told Compton he would have accepted being in a reduced role in 2021.
“…I gave the city everything I had. I gave these people every ounce in my body, and some stuff just doesn’t make sense, organization-wise, like, how and why do you let me leave the building when I’m willing to take a lesser role, when I’m willing to still give you all that I got? Like, why? It don’t make sense to me, especially when I extend the olive branch in saying: ‘Can we work something out?'”
Regardless of Wright’s feelings toward the organization, he will be remembered fondly in Seahawks history as an underrated component of the team’s run of success over the past decade by fans and former teammates alike.
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