On Road to Recovery, Chris Carson Helping New Seahawks Teammate Get Acclimated
SEATTLE, WA - While diligently working his way back from neck surgery with hopes of suiting up for the 2022 season behind the scenes, Seahawks running back Chris Carson has taken on a new role to support a new teammate adjusting to a change of scenery.
Teaming up with USAA, leaning on his own personal experience acclimating to living and playing in the Pacific Northwest after a stellar college career at Oklahoma State, the hard-running Carson has been moonlighting as a tour guide showing tight end Noah Fant everything the Emerald City has to offer. Now preparing for his sixth season in Seattle, he's provided recommendations and tips to help him quickly become comfortable with his new surroundings after arriving as part of the blockbuster Russell Wilson trade from Denver.
To this point, courtesy of USAA's moving program, Carson and Fant have already been to Pike Place Market, the Space Needle, and the iconic Seattle Great Wheel along the coast of the Puget Sound. With the Seahawks' offseason program set to conclude next week and ushering in a six-week moratorium period until training camp, the duo will have ample opportunities to go sightseeing and continue checking off Seattle's many great attractions this summer.
"I told him to try the Pike Place Market. We went out there, caught the fish," Carson said, listing off his checklist of destinations for Fant to visit. "They've got a million and one coffee shops. I would say that the Ferris Wheel is out here, there's a couple of cool events that they got here. There's a lot to do, they can't do everything at once. So he has a lot to keep his mind busy."
For Carson, who underwent cervical fusion surgery in December, touring Fant around the Seattle area has provided an invaluable way to connect with a new teammate while he awaits clearance to return to the field. Still rehabbing from the procedure and working to regain motion, he hasn't received the green light to practice yet and did not participate in last week's minicamp.
While recovering from this particular injury has prevented unique challenges for Carson, he isn't treating the situation any differently than when he rebounded from a fractured ankle as a rookie in 2017 or a cracked hip in 2019. Just as he did with those two setbacks, he's continuing to attack his rehab with zeal and isn't forcing the issue setting a timeline for himself to make a decision.
"I've taken it on like any other injury I've been through. There's always gonna be good and bad with the process," Carson explained. "We've been working real hard with my trainers and physicians back in Atlanta and out here in Seattle, so I'm just gonna keep pushing."
In two weeks, Carson will meet with doctors once again in Dallas hoping for a far more positive synopsis than the one he received two weeks ago, keeping his fingers cross his range of motion will improve enough to pave the way for his return to the field in time for the start of training camp.
Though coach Pete Carroll hinted after Thursday's minicamp practice that "the end" may be near for Carson, the veteran back certainly isn't looking at the situation that way and hasn't contemplated retirement. He still believes he has a chance to tote the rock for the Seahawks again and has maintained an optimistic mindset throughout the process.
"I never thought about stuff like that," Carson said. "And my mindset is, if I have a chance to get out on the field, I'm going to do whatever I can to get back on the field. So I don't think about stuff like that. I'm gonna make the decision that's best for me ultimately. But like I said, my mindset is on playing."
In the meantime, while his injury has prevented him from attending or participating in Seattle's offseason program, Carson continues to find ways to stay connected with teammates new and old behind the scenes. Along with introducing Fant to his new city of residence, he has been in touch with rookie running back Ken Walker III, who the team drafted in the second round out of Michigan.
Just as he did taking Rashaad Penny under his wing in 2018, while he has sights set on competing against the rookie for playing time in August and intends to get back to running through the teeth of defenses, Carson plans to serve as a mentor for Walker and help ease his transition into the NFL.
"He's a young, hungry player. It's gonna take him a while to get adjusted to everything, but once he does, he's off the ground running. Seattle does a great job teaching and keeping it slow., kind of breaking things up for you so you're not taking all of everything at one time. I think that for the most part, he's fitting in and doing a great job. Training camp is going to be a real big test for him."
As for what he thinks of the Seahawks chances of competing in the NFC West this year, even with Wilson and Bobby Wagner gone, he trusts the culture Carroll has built, the return of stars such as Jamal Adams and DK Metcalf, and newcomers such as Fant to help keep the team in the playoff hunt.
In time, without rushing back and staying patient in his recovery, Carson intends to be a part of that run as well.
"Losing Bobby and Russ, that's huge leaders who have been part of this organization. New guys got to step up and we got a lot of young guys stepping up. We've still got a lot on the offensive side of the ball, we got Jamal and [Quandre] Diggs on the defensive side of the ball leading everybody. It's gonna be different but we headed in the right direction."
For anyone who is moving this summer, or planning to move soon, USAA has a lot of helpful tips to make your move easier. Check them out at: USAA.com/Movers. USAA is the Official NFL [and Seahawks] Salute to Service Partner. They created the Salute to Service platform to authentically honor and appreciate our military, veterans, and their families.
