Former Seahawks safety Ryan Neal 'forever grateful for PNW' in a farewell letter to fans
The Seattle Seahawks moved on from Ryan Neal last week in a surprising move. Tuesday, Neal published an open letter to the fans in remembrance.
The Seattle Seahawks letting safety Ryan Neal go came as a surprise to most around the team.
After initially granting Neal a first right of refusal tender as a restricted free agent, the offer was withdrawn, making him unrestricted. And then on Tuesday, it was reported that Neal planned to sign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, ending his Seattle tenure after four seasons.
Part of the rationale for letting Neal walk was simple salary cap math coupled with the addition of Julian Love. Though understandable reasons, it didn't make the departure any less painful for Neal who came into his own during his time in Seattle.
"Seattle has been a special place for me the past 4 years," Neal wrote in a heartfelt Instagram post. "A place I won’t ever forget. You grabbed a kid scratching to break a roster and allowed him to grow. Thank you to everyone in the building. Yall made coming to work easy. Thank you to my teammates, the love is real.
"Forever grateful for the PNW. Thank you."
Neal's journey in the NFL is something movies are made of. He got his start as a practice squad player and quickly developed into an integral role in Seattle's defense by 2020.
The play that will most often be remembered is his interception against the Dallas Cowboys in a Seahawks 38-31 win.
Neal had 19 starts in his Seahawks career — filling in for an injured Jamal Adams — and last season, he received All-Pro votes after posting career highs in tackles, passes defended, and tackles for loss.
Now, he is on the greener pastures. It is probably for the best.
