Ex-Maury, Tech star gets his day in the sun with the Seahawks
The Associated Press
RENTON, WASH.
Kam Chancellor got the full treatment, from the use of the Seahawks’ giant auditorium to standing on stage flanked by his head coach and general manager holding up a jersey with his name stitched across the back.
Chancellor never got such an opportunity when he was drafted in the fifth round out of Virginia Tech.
The former Maury High star became the first member of Seattle’s standout secondary to be locked up for the long term. He signed a four-year extension with the Seahawks on Monday that will keep the safety under contract with the organization through the 2017 season.
“Obviously, this is a big deal and we’re trying to make a big deal out of this day for Kam,” Seattle general manager John Schneider said. “This is Kam’s day. Kam was a fifth-round draft pick. He hasn’t been able to experience something like this and hopefully he’s here for the rest of his career.”
Chancellor was Schneider’s top priority this offseason when it came to take care of players in-house. The Seahawks made headlines with their trade for former Landstown High star Percy Har-vin and the signings of Cliff Avril and Antoine Winfield, but Schneider insisted none of those deals would have been consummated had they affected Seattle’s ability to get a long-term contract done with Chancellor.
“I’ve got so many words it’s hard to throw them out there. I just feel great right now. The Seahawks organization has blessed me. It just feels good. I’m a happy person right now,” Chancellor said.
“Negations are negotiations, things are going to be up and down, be a bumpy road. At the end of the day it’s done. That’s all that matters at the end.”
Chancellor, who turned 25 earlier this month, has become the hard-hitting anchor in Seattle’s secondary. Last season, he recorded a career-high 92 tackles.
But it was as a rookie in 2010, when Chancellor was playing behind and learning from former All-Pro Lawyer Milloy, that head coach Pete Carroll saw his potential. Chancellor started at Virginia Tech as a quarterback before moving to cornerback and rover, and finally settling at safety. By the end of his rookie year, Chancellor was getting significant snaps on defense.
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