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Before the start of the season, Seahawks defensive back Earl Thomas briefly held out and voiced his displeasure that the team didn’t want to sign him to an extension.
Via NFL.com
“In the end, it’s like I said: If the Seahawks don’t intend on having me around for the long-term, then I understand,” Thomas wrote. “And if they want to start over and rebuild, then that’s their right — it’s part of the business. It’s not what I want … but I get it. All I ask, though, is that if that’s the case, and they don’t want me anymore — just please trade me to an organization that does.
“Please trade me to a team that wants me, so I can give my all to them for the rest of my career.”
Thomas decided to end his holdout without signing a new contract and unfortunately he was never able to get the payday he wanted after he went down with a severe leg injury on Sunday.
#Seahawks star S Earl Thomas suffered a clean, lower leg break but no ligament damage and no displacement, source said. Not nearly as bad as a ligament tear would’ve been. He should be 100% by the Super Bowl… and free agency.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 1, 2018
Apparently the Seahawks were very close to granting Thomas his trade request.
Says Seahawks and Chiefs were nearing a deal. That obviously won't happen now. https://t.co/FVyTlCrpZV
— Bob Condotta (@bcondotta) October 1, 2018
The Chiefs, in particular, were particularly annoyed with the development, as sources tell Yahoo Sports that although the two teams couldn’t agree on a trade this past week, the two sides were inching closer toward a deal and there was internal optimism something would be struck before the deadline.
As such, the Chiefs will be forced to roll along without Thomas, who stands to lose from the injury as much as anyone. Judging by his viral gesture to the Seahawks’ sideline on Sunday evening, he knew that.
While leaving the field on Sunday in a cart Thomas was seen flipping off the Seahawks bench and it’s pretty clear why.
https://twitter.com/DylansRawTake/status/1046534612468600833