(AP). Lockette said Thursday he had put to rest his hopes of returning to the game. He was ultimately cut from the roster despite some key plays at clutch moments for the squad. "[15], On March 9, 2015, the Seahawks stated they would not tender Lockette, thus making him an unrestricted free agent; however, he eventually re-signed. It's kind of just unfortunate, but I think he knows that wasn't my intention and it was kind of just a freak deal and that's the risk that we take when we play this game. The Seahawks wideout, who underwent neck surgery and missed the rest of the season, visited a Redmond, Wash., fire station recently and told them how thankful he was for the help the trainers gave him and how close he was to dying. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Seahawks wide receiver Ricardo Lockette is out for the season, and needs surgery to repair ligament damage in his neck. And for patients it's a huge. Lockettes injury seemed a freak accident more than anything else; no obvious spearing or whatever. He said he plans to work on behalf of the homeless, domestic violence victims and kids. ", Out here spending only fans money like my A/C broke #Rockette #4pf, A post shared by Ricardo Lockette (@ricardolockette) on Aug 12, 2020 at 11:54am PDT. Or if the returner at the time would have broken a couple tackles, and they would have rolled and fell on me, I would have died on that field.. All Rights Reserved. And hopefully I've done that. National and local media grade the Seahawks' 2023 Draft Class. In a recent piece for ThePlayersTribune.com, Lockette wrote an emotional article recalling the injury, what his family and teammates have meant to him since, and he touches on what's next in his life. This story isnt even about Dez. Lockette saw the direct hit coming and he lowered his helmet to deliver his own blow. However, the hit looked perfectly legal to me. Karma, baby. Lockette, who turns 30 later this month and worked his way onto the Seahawks roster as an undrafted free agent, will announce his retirement in a press conferenceon Thursday, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports. But its Dez. All Rights Reserved. Injured Seahawks WR Ricardo Lockette to raise 12th Man flag After career-threatening injury, Lockette wants to return to football After suffering a season-ending neck injury, Seattle. BTW, the current state of the Seahawks line will ensure that Wilson is not healthy forever. Hopkins shuts down trade rumors: 'Who said' that? I was thinking, O.K., get up. My goal in life is to have 10% of the effect that Marshawn has on people's lives. Enter for a chance to win an exclusive fly away trip to Los Angeles or an autographed Draft cap by our entire 2023 class! Looking ahead, Lockette's main goal is to change people's lives for the better. Copyright 2023 Distractify. For all the celebrating that Seahawks do when playing against injured opponents, its easy to see how each injury a Seahawk receives is simply well-deserved. I saw Larry Fitzgerald's touchdown catch in a different game, and going down he looked more . On a truly terrible day in Ricardo Lockette's life, when he suffered what was ultimately a career-ending neck injury, one of his Seattle Seahawks teammates stayed with him all night in the hospital. At the time, nobody knew that Lockette's life was in jeopardy, but it still made for a terrifying moment: Ricardo Lockette was drilled and appears to be out cold, hope he's ok pic.twitter.com/C5zdBzzwFX. Learn more about his grisly on-field injury. My personal irony of being a football fan: I love the big hits where guys blow each other up. You can watch video of their reunion below: "I didn't realize how serious it was until it was over," Lockette said last year. Seahawks need him running to make playoffs, Watch: The Groz throws out the 1st pitch before Mariners-Astros game, Highlights from The Grozs last show on Bob, Groz and Tom, Watch: Members of the Seattle sports media pay tribute to The Groz, The Grozs final show on Bob, Groz and Tom airs Friday at noon. The former Seahawks receiver suffered a horrific neck injury on a special teams snap against the Cowboys. However, I never want any actual (for lack of a better term) damage to be done to anyone regardless of their team. Theres a lot of things that I cant do, but what I can do is inspire and motivate, Lockette said. I wanted to make my family proud. Lockette said in May, sitting with his parents, Earl Sr. and Felita, his brother Earl Jr., and his girlfriend Jamaica Terry. Hope Lockett recovers fully but lay off Heath. Every person that I meet, I'm bringing them up the mountain with me. He said he didnt know what part of his body hit Lockette, because ithappened so fast.. Scary because were football players, and theres collisions and stuff like that. But they had to a There are tons of "brutal" sports that, upon first viewing, would probably make you wonder just how in the world they're sanctioned. Heath did nothing wrong, it was a clean play. Honestly. Lockette knew full well that he wouldn't be standing there if it wasn't for their life-saving actions. A fifth-year player, Lockette, 29, was running with Cowboys cornerback Byron Jones on punt coverage when Cowboys safety Jeff Heath hit him. Seattle Seahawks receiver Ricardo Lockette underwent surgery Monday afternoon to fix ligament and disc issues in his neck resulting from a hard block in Sunday's 13-12 win at Dallas and will be. He won the NCAA Division II 200-meter dash in 2008, setting a personal record of 20.63 seconds. [17][18] The next day, the Seahawks announced Lockette had suffered neck ligament damage that required season-ending surgery. When he announced his retirement earlier this offseason, former Seahawks receiver Ricardo Lockette made it clear that he didn't feel sorry for himself despite having his career cut short by a. If the returner at the time would have broke a couple tackles and they would have moved and fell on me, I would have died on that field.". Seahawks coach Pete Carroll confirmed Monday the injury would keep Lockette out for the remainder of the year. What Happened to Ricardo Lockette? The tackle left him lying on the field for several minutes before he was carried off on a stretcher. As a result, he collapsed to the field. @therealzeitgeist When Lockette realized they were in attendance, he teared up, gave them a hug, and thanked them. If not for the paramedics on the scene, Lockette may have lost more than football. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. "If one of my teammates would have come over and pulled my arm, I would have died," headded. He said if I would have stood up then, the weight of my head, left, right, front, back, I would have died," Lockette said. Take a look back at his best photos in a Seattle uniform. As Lockette was carted off the field, he raised his hand and gestured in the shape of an 'L' representing his last name. Like I said, Im glad hes doing all right.. I was playing hard, and he was doing the same thing. His upper. Football players are paid to make such plays, but guilt is a human emotion, the kind men, fathers and sons are all capable of. SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - DECEMBER 20: (Photo by Christopher Mast/Seattle Seahawks). So I cant complain about that. Via Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Cowboys safety Jeff Heath said he didnt think his hit on a punt return was dirty, even though Lockette clearly see him coming. He was jawing and shook his head walking away, but later when the seriousness was apparent, he also got down and prayed for Lockette. Levis has inside track to be future of Titans, Eagles add three Georgia studs to elite roster, Belichick keeping Jones, Zappe on edge after draft, Simms: Hooker has more talent than Goff, NFL draft takeaways: QBs selected on Day 3, Jeff Heath felt terrible that Ricardo Lockette was injured on his hit, In the end, the Packers fleeced the Jets for Aaron Rodgers, Aaron Rodgers blamed cell service at his house for not returning Brian Gutekunsts calls, Trade charts show Jets sending Packers equivalent of a high second-round pick in 2023, Odds greatly improve for Will Levis to be the first overall pick, Deion Sanders is ashamed of 31 NFL teams for not drafting any HBCU players, Brian Gutekunst: It would have been nice to have had those conversations with Aaron Rodgers, Jim Irsay asks fans whether Colts should pair Will Levis with Anthony Richardson. Welcome To Seattle Sweepstakes | Enter To Win! Get well Ricardo! But while many others used the post-game to argue with others about intent or their own roles in the situation, the guy who delivered the shotexpressed something skin tohuman concern, a refreshing departure. The injury was so severe that Lockette underwent a five-hour surgery to stabilize the area and was afterward forced into retirement. He sustained neck ligament damage as a result of the tackle. Its nice to see a guy express some remorse, even though he did nothing wrong. The following year, the Seahawks made it to the big dance yet again, and Lockette managed to secure three catches. Heath did what he was told just like most do. What Lockette didn't know was that the paramedics who saved him were actually in the audience, having made the trek from Texas. Learn how your comment data is processed. I'm climbing and I'm climbing, and I'm meeting some amazing people along the way. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. I need to repay the Lord for helping me get up. When I was on the side, I didnt really hear if they were saying anything. Unlike moments like Raphael Bush celebrating his illegal head shot on Percy Harvin with his teammates/coaches. 3:18 pm ET, NFL Draft superlatives: Best/worst class, ROY and more, Will Levis dropping to second round proves costly, Chiefs expected to re-sign Jerick McKinnon, Chiefs' Hunt believes Mahomes will always be underpaid, How Cowboys' VP sold team brass on drafting Mazi Smith, Prisco's draft grades for all 32 teams: Eagles ace it, 2024 mock: Williams No. You must be logged in to leave a comment. Not a member? In this Feb. 1, 2015, file photo, New England Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler (21) intercepts a pass intended for Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Ricardo Lockette during the NFL Super Bowl XLIX . Seattle Seahawks 2023. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Im a fan of another NFC East team (yeah, I know it is sad), and now would be a perfect opportunity for me to dump on Heath. However, the Seahawks ultimately lost to Brady's squad. I don't know him that well, but from what I heard about him, from what I can tell about how he plays, he's going to be good at whatever he does. [13] He became a special teams player during his second stint with the Seattle Seahawks. After the season, Lockette was invited to participate in the NFL Scouting Combine. Seattle players even said that he didnt. 1; Cards have top 2, Best, worst, most interesting pick for all, Six things that experts got wrong about the NFL Draft, Undrafted free agent tracker: Team-by-team list of signings. [2] Lockette attended Monroe Comprehensive High School in Albany, where he played football and ran track and field. The more people that participate, the better, Lockette said. We do not want to take the sport out of our sport but we have to find a way to make it safer. Lockette suffered the injury following a hit from Jeff. The injury was so . By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. Bowles added quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick is day to day and will need thumb surgery at some point. Lockette underwent surgery Monday to stabilize ligament damage sustained in the hit. But I couldn't get up. New York Jets coach Todd Bowles said he's not sure whether wide receiver Brandon Marshall (toe, ankle) will be available in Week 9. It starts from the current players, the former players.. But thats just an unfortunate sequence of events in the span of about a second. If I would have stood up then, the weight of my head, left right, front back, I would have died. Dave "The Groz" Grosby was honored by the Mariners on Tuesday night by throwing out the ceremonial first pitch. I couldn't move my arms. Seahawks receiver Ricardo Lockette began making a name for himself on special teams as he leveled St. Louis returner Justin Veltung. Dave "The Groz" Grosby will finish up his 29-year career as a daily Seattle sports radio host on Friday from noon to 3 p.m. on 710 ESPN Seattle's Bob, Groz and Tom. The guy was just doing his job. What I'm gonna actually remember is moments like that night in the hospital. Glad he is alright. 2023 Bonneville International. Or in my situation, it couldve been that hes paralyzed.. Ricardo Quantaye Lockette (born May 21, 1986) is a former professional American football wide receiver who played in parts of four seasons for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. Ricardo Lockette is retiring from the NFL after four seasons with the Seattle Seahawks. Now I just want to take that spirit and joy and spread it to people who really need it. Two weeks after being injured during the Dallas game, Ricardo Lockette made an appearance and acknowledged the 12s before the Seahawks Week 10 game against the Arizona Cardinals. Lockette was defenseless by rule and had but a split second to locate Heath and or brace himself for contact and all he was able to do was try and duck which actually made the hit worse but was still probably better than if he hadnt ducked. Seriously? I'm back at the bottom. ROOT Sports analyst Mike Blowers talked to Bob, Groz and Tom about Lewis and what makes him stand out. seattle players reacted normally if you asked me. I never really wanted to be an Olympic track star or an NFL player. He was signed to the practice squad, but was released by the team on September 18. Ricardo Lockett visited Redmond Fire Station 11 today and expressed the importance of teamwork and the great work his trainers exhibited when they saved his life on the football field in Dallas after that horrible hit during that game. From the moment the kid was lying on the ground unconscious everyone was a human being and football meant nothing. "If the returner at the time would have broken a couple tackles and they would have fell on me on the field I would have died.". Three years ago, former Seahawks wide receiver Ricardo Lockette saw his playing career come to a halt after suffering a neck injury during a game against the Dallas Cowboys. Lockette made a critical 44-yard reception in a close loss to division rival San Francisco 49ers on December 24, 2011, as well as a 61-yard touchdown grab in an overtime loss to another rival, the Arizona Cardinals, on January 1, 2012. Emergency personnel had to cart him off the field and as he was wheeled away, he stuck his hand up in the air. Sure in slow motion it looks bad, but in live play youre going out to hit someone. These officials cannot constitute what is a catch or a clean hit nowadays. Ricardo Quantaye Lockette (born May 21, 1986) is a former professional American football wide receiver who played in parts of four seasons for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. [3], Lockette attended Wallace Community College for one year, where he finished tenth nationally in the 400 meter dash. People say, Hey dude, are you sad that this happened to you and that the guy hit you and blah, blah, blah? No, because Im a dog. Lockette, 29, suffered ligament damage in his neck during a game . Ive see a lot of people dig on Dez for his actions after that play. In the hospital, there were tears, Lockette writes, especially when his daughter came into the room to visit, but there was also laughter, courtesy of Marshawn Lynch, who stayed behind in Dallas with Lockette. I hope Lockette will be OK and get to play again. Like Marshawn helped me. The Super Bowl XLVIII champion is currently a player advisor for The Football Players Health Study at Harvard. The defensive backs and linebackers have minimal tackling skills and use their bodies as torpedoes to render the ball carriers dazed and hopefully separated from the ball. Former Chicago Bears Running Back Calls NFL "Scripted", LSU Quarterback Joe Burrow Is a NFL Star in the Making, NFL Referees Get Paid More Than You Might Think, Though Not as Much as the Players. [10], Lockette was signed to the San Francisco 49ers practice squad on September 24, 2012. Nothing more to see here, move along. Did Mr. Heath go onto the field to show his concern? Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Ricardo Lockette said Thursday he will retire from football, citing a life-threatening neck injury that he doesn't expect to heal. Not a dirty hit at all. Lockette joins a growing list of NFL players leaving the game due to injuries or the risk. Clean, legal hit, IMOand Im a Seahawks fan. Something akin to human concern? Dallas coach drew that up during the week. When it's all said and done, when the temporary fairy tale Coach (Pete) Carroll talked about is over, we have to ask ourselves why we're really here on this earth. The wide receiver collided with Cowboys safety Jeff Heath during punt coverage and then. The study is working to collect data from current and former players (they currently have over 3,800 submissions) to improve quality of life. And while we wait to see if Lockettesever going to be able to play football again after the surgery, its also easy to wonder how well Heath will be able to in the future. Former Seahawks wideout Ricardo Lockette announced his retirement from the NFL on May 12, 2016. Running back Marshawn Lynch talks to young receivers Ricardo Lockette and Paul Richardson on the Seahawks sideline just before kickoff. Ricardo Lockette suffers scary injury from big hit during punt return Zofia Janay 7 subscribers Subscribe 1.5K views 7 years ago The Seattle Seahawks were punting towards the end of the first. He said he blames neither his tackler nor the game. That doesnt mean Lockette isnt still just as passionate about the game. I felt terrible that he was injured like that., Heath drew a 15-yard penalty for a blindside block, but said he thought he hit Lockette from the front. Medical staff prepare to cart Ricardo Lockette off the field as head coach Pete Carroll, front right, watches in the first half of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, Nov. 1 . Wide receiver Kendall Wright (knee) said his knee feels "horrible" and he is unsure if he will be able to play in Week 9. Seahawks coach Pete Carroll confirmed Monday the injury would keep Lockette out for the remainder of the year. EPA/Larry W. Smith Lockette also posted a couple of thoughts . Lockette was signed by the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent following the end of the NFL lockout in 2011. Ricardo Lockette celebrates his touchdown in front of fans in the north end zone. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. Ricardo Quantaye Lockette was born on May 21, 1986, in Albany, Georgia, to Earl and Felita Lockette. To be honest, my NFL career was like a blur. First, I hope Lockett has a speedy recovery, and is able to return to the Seahawks and play next season. There, he spoke about how his life was saved by paramedics in Arlington, Texas. As a Seahawks fan, I know Ricardo Lockette has a reputation for getting into it with other players and playing a very emotional game just like Dez Bryant. Others overreacted especially Seahawk players, but just emotions are running high. Six months later, he announced his retirement. I liked the hit and play but the rulebook is sooo damn complicated and open ended with judgement calls that good plays like this are now penalties. Flag him that was clear. The man who delivered the hit which caused that said after the game that he meant no harm. Is that playing it down?
