Seahawks re-sign Neiko Thorpe, their special-teams captain the last two years
Neiko Thorpe’s rise from undrafted Canadian League import to Seahawks special-teams captain continues.
Seattle announced Monday it re-signed Thorpe, the backup cornerback and key member of its kick and kick-coverage units the last few seasons. He became an unrestricted free agent last month after his one-year contract expired.
Thorpe played in just seven of 16 games last regular season before having surgery for a sports hernia in December. The Seahawks obviously know enough about him and his recovery to bring him back.
The 30-year-old former CFL player Seattle signed from Oakland before the 2016 season. His 28 tackles on special-teams is the Seahawks’ most the last four seasons. With flashy clothes, a locker next to the team’s ping-pong table and a constant paddle game—plus in-house trash talk—to match, Thorpe has become immensely popular with teammates.
They voted him captain of the special teams in each of the last two seasons.
“Neiko Thorpe has just been the spirit of the special teams for a number of years now, and it’s great that the guys recognize him again,” coach Pete Carroll said before the 2019 opener, when Thorpe was voted captain again.
“He’s got a great presence in our room and with our guys.”
