For Earl Thomas, Sunday began with reports that multiple teams -- including his opponent, the Dallas Cowboys -- were interested in opening up trade talks with the Seattle Seahawks for his services. It ended with Thomas telling reporters that he doesn't plan to practice for the Seahawks if he doesn't feel like it.
"I need to make sure my body is 100 (percent), and I'm investing in myself. If they were invested in me, I would be out there practicing," Thomas said, per The Seattle Times. "But if I feel like if I have anything, even if it's something small, if I got a headache, I'm not practicing. But I don't want that to be taken the wrong way -- I know I'll get fined."
Thomas added that he expects to be fined, telling reporters, "I'm sure I'll have a slip in my locker."
Thomas missed two practices this week for "personal reasons," which caused coach Pete Carroll to wonder if Thomas would play on Sunday. The safety was also late to a Saturday walkthrough, according to the Seattle Times. The safety ended up starting on Sunday, but Carroll did not comment further on his reasoning behind that.
"Really, I haven't even talked to him about it," Carroll said to reporters after Sunday's win. "So other than, we made it through, we'll talk next week, and there's nothing to even tell you about it. I'll let you know next week.
"What I do know is he gave everything he had today. He was in every step of the way, every aspect of the game, the communications and the focus and the adjustments, and I was with him on some of those things on the sidelines. He was in everything, he played his tail off and he had a blast playing, he had a blast in the locker room, and I'll talk to him next week about whatever."
Thomas' day was bookended by drama, but in the middle, the safety contributed a banner performance, recording two interceptions in Seattle's 24-13 win over the Cowboys.
After the game, Thomas faced multiple questions about whether he thought Sunday was his last game as a Seahawk to which he replied, "I don't know if it was, but I had a damn good time and I'll go out like that if I have to."
Talk of Thomas' career in Seattle coming to a close reignited when NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Sunday morning that "there are several people inside the Cowboys organization who hope Sunday's game will serve as the impetus to begin conversations again."
Thomas divulged to reporters that Cowboys coaches were asking him pregame, "You ready for the trade tomorrow?" but he couldn't tell if they were playing psychological games with him.
"I love Seattle. My family is here," Thomas said. "I'm hopeful that these guys will call my agent and work something out. I want to be taken care of."
