Pro Bowl tight end Greg Olsen had an opportunity to get a well-paid broadcasting job after the 2019 season but turned it down in order to play one more season with the Seattle Seahawks. According to Olsen, he made this decision because he believes he still has “things to prove.”
Since making his last Pro Bowl appearance in 2016, Olsen struggled with injuries, which affected his production and ability to stay on the field. And although he had a solid season with the Carolina Panthers in 2019, racking up 52 receptions for 597 yards and two touchdowns in 14 games, the 35-year-old tight end feels that he can still add to his legacy.
“I just feel like I still have a game left, I thought I still had things to prove—both to myself and I thought I had some work to do to cement myself with my legacy as a player,” Olsen told Seahawks’ official website. “I didn’t like the way my last two years (before last year), 2017 and 2018, went, with being hurt and getting dinged up and not feeling like I was able to be myself. That was kind of a bitter pill to swallow to think that my career would end like that.”
Panthers decided to move on from Olsen after 2019 as they embark on a rebuilding process. Seattle, on the other hand, saw a proven playmaker that could add to their Super Bowl case, and the veteran quickly jumped on the opportunity.
“When the opportunity came to play out here, it was just a really unique opportunity and a really unique circumstance to come out with a winning franchise and a proven head coach and proven quarterback,” he added.
Olsen caught 718 passes during his time in Carolina and has 8,444 career receiving yards to go with 59 touchdowns. He is a three-time Pro Bowler and has two Second-team All-Pro appearances.
