Seahawks left tackle Walter Jones retires

Published 3:59 pm Thursday, April 29, 2010

As expected, one of the great greatest players in Seahawks history officially called it career today.

And the team is wasting no time in honoring left tackle Walter Jones.

The Seahawks announced Thursday that Jones, a nine-time Pro Bowler who is widely considered one of the best to ever play his position, is retiring. The team also announced his No. 71 will immediately be retired, and that Governor Christine Gregoire has declared April 30 Walter Jones Day. It has been expected for a while that Jones would not be back this season, but on Thursday he completed the necessary paperwork to make his retirement a done deal.

Jones has not played since Thanksgiving of 2008 when he was clearly bothered by a knee injury in a game against the Cowboys. He underwent microfracture surgery the following month, and attempted to come back last season. Jones then underwent arthroscopic surgery during training camp in August, and was not able to return during the 2009 season.

Jones comeback hopes were hindered by a kidney condition that prevents him from taking anti-inflammatory medicines. Despite that limitation, Jones did not miss a game because of injury from 1997 until 2008.

When it was announced that Jones would go on injured reserve last Oct., he said at the time that he still hoped to play football, but instead the 36-year-old has decided to retire after missing 20 straight games.

Jones is considered, along with receiver Steve Largent, one of the two best players in Seahawks history. Former Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren even went so far as to call Jones the best offensive player he has ever coached, lofty praise considering he has coached Brett Favre, Joe Montana and Steve Young. In 13 seasons, Jones was called for holding nine times and in 5,703 pass attempts, surrendered just 23 sacks according to coaches’ statistics

Jones played his entire career for the Seahawks, coming to Seattle as the No. 6 overall pick in 1997. After earning the starting job as a rookie, Jones went on to start all 180 games he played in during his career. Jones, an almost sure-fire Hall of Famer, was a four-time, first-team All-Pro selection, including in 2005 when he helped the Seahawks to the franchise’s only Super Bowl. During that season, running back Shaun Alexander rushed for 1,880 yards and scored a then-NFL record 28 touchdowns behind a Jones-led line, earning MVP honors.

The Seahawks will certainly miss Jones, but they at least go into the 2010 season with a succession plan. Last year the Seahawks came into the season hopeful that Jones could return from the knee injury, which left them woefully thin at tackle when he wasn’t able to play. Sean Locklear, the team’s starting right tackle, opened the year on the left side, but suffered a high ankle sprain in the second game. Seattle then tried Brandon Frye, who had been cut by Miami, then after he suffered a season-ending injury, the Seahawks went with Kyle Williams, who had been on the practice squad. The team then signed veteran Damion McIntosh who was out of work after being cut by Kansas City in September.

Barring injury, Jones’ former position won’t be a revolving door in 2010 with the team using the sixth overall pick in last week’s draft on tackle Russell Okung. Seattle’s front office and coaching staff have been working under the assumption that Jones would not return, and after the team picked Okung, offensive line coach Alex Gibbs said the rookie from Oklahoma State would be the immediate starter.

“We’re going to throw him right in,” Gibbs said. “He will be our starting left tackle, day one, hour one, and we will live with him through whatever pain there is.”

Okung and the rest of Seattle’s rookies will be on the field Friday for the first practice of a three-day minicamp, and with Jones’ retirement now official, Okung will have some gargantuan shoes to fill.

“He’s a great player, a Pro Bowler, a future Hall of Fame guy,” Okung said after being selected Thursday. “I only hope I can be as good as him.”

Herald Writer John Boyle: jboyle@heraldnet.com. For more Seahawks coverage, check out the Seahawks blog at heraldnet.com/seahawksblog