Seahawks release longest-tenured player, punter Jon Ryan
Seattle Seahawks punter Jon Ryan makes a touchdown-saving tackle of Cincinnati Bengals' Adam Jones during the fourth quarter on Sunday, Oct. 11, 2015, at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Dean Rutz/Seattle Times/TNS)
RENTON, Wash. (AP) — The Seattle Seahawks have put an end to the kicking competitions in training camp, releasing kicker Jason Myers and punter Jon Ryan, who had been the longest-tenured member of the team.
Ryan posted a lengthy goodbye to the Seahawks and their fans on social media Monday morning. “I never wanted this day to come, but knew it would someday,” Ryan wrote.
The Seahawks announced later that Myers had been released, leaving Sebastian Janikowski as the only kicker on Seattle’s roster. Myers had signed with Seattle in the offseason after being cut by Jacksonville early in the 2017 season.
Ryan was among the most popular Seahawks players for his skill as a punter and his personality off the field. But his time in Seattle appeared to be up when Michael Dickson was selected in the fifth round of this year’s draft.
Ryan played for three head coaches in Seattle, starting with Mike Holmgren in 2008, Jim Mora in 2009 and the past eight seasons under Pete Carroll.
He was responsible for one of the most important touchdowns in franchise history, throwing a TD pass on a trick play in the 2014 NFC Championship game that helped Seattle reach its second straight Super Bowl.
Ryan’s note had a special message for Seattle fans.
“You embraced a pale-skinned, red-headed Canadian with a speech impediment and made him feel like a super star,” Ryan wrote. “I will forever be grateful.”