CHICAGO – As is the case almost every year at this time, the Seattle Seahawks enter another offseason with plenty of question marks.
Veteran offensive lineman Robbie Tobeck answered one of them Sunday by officially announcing his retirement.
Tobeck, 36, played 13 NFL seasons, including seven with the Seahawks. The undrafted free agent from Washington State University played in only eight games before a hip infection effectively ended what would become his final season.
“I used to think I’d be able to spend one last season as a backup, but (the inactivity) is mind-numbing,” Tobeck said. “I don’t know if I have a short attention span or what, but what makes it fun is the weekly challenges.”
Tobeck already has his future in order, as he’ll begin working at an insurance brokerage in Bellevue next month.
While he won’t play another NFL game, Tobeck is proud of what he’s accomplished.
“I was undrafted and I wasn’t supposed to make it this far,” Tobeck said. “You always think, ‘I could have done this, or made more money, or this or that.’ But when I look back, I had the opportunity to play in two Super Bowls (with Atlanta and Seattle) and a Pro Bowl.
“I guess the biggest reward for me is the teammates I’ve had and the stories I’ve got.”
Tobeck, who has been one of the most popular teammates in the Seattle locker room, will be missed.
“It’s going to be hard,” offensive lineman Walter Jones said. “But that’s a part of this league; things change each year. The guys that will be here, Chris (Spencer) and Rob (Sims), those guys learned a lot. They’re ready to take over and do some special things for the Seahawks.”
Another veteran, fullback Mack Strong, gave indefinite answers when asked about his future after Sunday’s loss. The 35-year-old player came out of that game twice because of neck stingers, but he’s been one of the more durable players in the league during a 14-year career.
Asked Sunday about his decision about whether to play another season, Strong said, “Those things are still a few months away.”
Veteran lineman Chris Gray, who will turn 37 in June, and free agents like Jerramy Stevens, Josh Brown and Ken Hamlin also have uncertain futures with the team.
Maybe that’s why Sunday’s loss left many of the players feeling a sense of shock.
“It’s so sudden,” Stevens said. “The season is over now. It takes you aback to think that you won’t be with the same group of guys next year.
“As much as everybody wants the team to stay the same, that’s not the nature of our business.”
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