Richard Sherman

Seahawks star Earl Thomas admits he's still contemplating retirement

Published Dec. 20, 2016 4:33 p.m. ET

Cameron DaSilva

It’s been two weeks since the Seattle Seahawks lost All-Pro safety Earl Thomas for the remainder of the season due to a broken leg. He suffered the injury against the Carolina Panthers, causing him to writhe in pain on the field before being carted to the locker room.

While being looked at by trainers, Thomas sent a cryptic tweet suggesting he was considering retirement. He’s had time to think about everything, including his future, and it sounds like he still hasn’t ruled out stepping away from the game.

"Of course emotions were taking over me," Thomas said on the “Rich Eisen Show” Tuesday. "But I was still thinking clearly, in my eyes. And I still kind of feel the same way. There's a lot of pressure when you're playing this game, and I play at a high level. My teammates expect me to do what I do. It's all about recommitting myself, and I don't know. I'm never going to step on the football field half-heartedly. … If I have any doubt, I don’t want to play the game.”

That was a reasonable assumption, considering the severity of the injury, but his comments two weeks later echo the same feeling. He said he’s “enjoying just waking up in the mornings” without battling the pressure of playing in the NFL, and has regained peace in his life.

"Peace is starting to return to me, and I think that's my ultimate goal in life. I just want to have peace,” he said. “But I can say when I went back to the VMAC [practice facility] the other day, my competitive juices came right back. I don't know, man. I'm kind of caught in between right now."

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Richard Sherman

Earl Thomas III

Seattle Seahawks

National Football League