NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport and NFL Network's Mike Garafolo discuss former Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Doug Baldwin's plan to retire.
In a letter to himself penned across Twitter, revisiting lessons learned and highlights lived, Doug Baldwin appeared to announce his retirement late Sunday night.
The tweets came three days removed from Seattle announcing it was terminating the contracts of Baldwin and fellow longtime Seahawks standout Kam Chancellor with failed physical designations.
Having undergone a trio of surgeries since the conclusion of the 2018 campaign, Baldwin's potential retirement began to make news during the 2019 NFL Draft.
Baldwin's final surgery was for a sports hernia and it followed a season in which he suffered a groin injury and was also battling knee and shoulder issues.
"NFL Total Access" is joined by former offensive tackle Joe Thomas and quarterback Mark Sanchez to discuss wide receiver Doug Baldwin's failed physical designation with the Seattle Seahawks and how the Seahawks will rebound from the loss.
As a member of the Seahawks, Baldwin's 493 catches for 6,593 yards and 49 touchdowns are all in the top three in franchise history.
Baldwin spent his entire eight-season career with the Seahawks, as he made the trip to two Pro Bowls, had a pair of 1,000-yard receiving seasons and helped the franchise to its greatest victory.
Baldwin had five catches for 66 yards and a touchdown in Seattle's 43-8 throttling of the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII.
In 2018, Baldwin, an undrafted free agent out of Stanford, played in 13 games with 50 catches, 618 yards and five touchdowns during what is now his final season.
Hardly a prototypical wideout at 5-foot-10 and fewer than 200 pounds, Baldwin was often overlooked and underrated, but proved to be a clutch performer on offense for a franchise defined by defense in its heyday. While those that best characterized the Legion of Boom drew the most notice, Baldwin still shined in the Emerald City and now his Sundays as a Seahawk have ended.
Below is a selection of tweets from Baldwin's Sunday thread:
I’ve always wanted to write a letter to my younger self. I never knew how or when I would write it but it seems very appropriate right about now..
— Douglas Baldwin Jr 🧢 (@DougBaldwinJr) May 13, 2019
I wanted to write you this letter and tell you that you’re about to endure one hell of a journey. You will feel emotional and physical pain you never knew existed. You will fail over and over again. But don’t worry, all of it will be the reason why you succeed. pic.twitter.com/kpWr64vGNJ
— Douglas Baldwin Jr 🧢 (@DougBaldwinJr) May 13, 2019
You’ll finally get a chance to compete at the highest level of the sport you love. And knowing you, I bet you’ll leave your mark early. During that time you will lose yourself in that world. It’s ok. You’ll come out of it for the better. pic.twitter.com/vEKU9AXt5p
— Douglas Baldwin Jr 🧢 (@DougBaldwinJr) May 13, 2019
The next few years will be filled with beautiful memories of close friends you will meet along the way. Friends that will offer their guidance.. pic.twitter.com/4J1LLZirUI
— Douglas Baldwin Jr 🧢 (@DougBaldwinJr) May 13, 2019
But when the journey finally comes to the end, you will reflect on what that little boy caught between Gulf Breeze and Pensacola really wanted: to be seen and to be loved. pic.twitter.com/J9rTAid0pC
— Douglas Baldwin Jr 🧢 (@DougBaldwinJr) May 13, 2019
Because the end of one journey sees the beginning of another. And guess what.. it will be one hell of a journey. You will feel emotional and physical pain you never knew existed. You will fail over and over again. But don’t worry, all of it will be the reason why you succeed. pic.twitter.com/RBH3hy5dip
— Douglas Baldwin Jr 🧢 (@DougBaldwinJr) May 13, 2019
— Douglas Baldwin Jr 🧢 (@DougBaldwinJr) May 13, 2019