Usually when I go “off the grid” for a few days, some breaking news happens for the Eagles just as I get back from the road. This time it wasn’t all that earth-shaking or unexpected— as just reported by ESPN, after six NFL seasons, former Philadelphia Eagles defensive back Walter Thurmond is retiring at the age of 28, a source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter. Thurmond has told people close to him that he doesn’t want to play football any longer, he wants to pursue other opportunities, and his time in the league is up, according to the source.
What makes this development newsworthy is the Eagles just lost one of their starting safeties from last season.
The Philadelphia Eagles signed Thurmond to a one-year, $3.25 million contract last year. The expectation was that he would compete for a cornerback job. After the draft didn’t produce a replacement for departed free agent Nate Allen, the coaches asked Thurmond if he would move to safety.
Thurmond wound up starting all 16 games, a first for him in his sixth NFL season. He intercepted three passes, forced two fumbles and recovered one, returning it for a touchdown. The Eagles credited Thurmond with 62 tackles, including six for loss. He also had two sacks.
Too bad for the team—that extra experience back there would have been a nice asset for the secondary in 2016.
As early as March of 2016, Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News reported that Thurmond was considering walking away at age 28, after four years with the Seahawks, one with the Giants, and one with the Eagles. Thurmond was also leaking certain hints concerning his retirement in social media back then, too. Apparently Walter has a real artistic side to him and wants to devote his full time to cinematic and theatrical projects. I guess one concern of his is the preservation of what’s left of his intact brain, too.
That’s all EYE got for you right now—I’ll keep this one brief just for the sake of turning the page after Memorial Day weekend.
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