Seattle Seahawks welcomed back estranged franchise legend for 50-year celebration

The Seattle Seahawks' 50th season is not only a time for celebration, but apparently, a time for reconciliation.

On Friday, the Seahawks welcomed a host of legends back for a ceremony honoring the top 50 players in franchise history, as the team revealed earlier this year. There was a surprising face among the returning players, though: former star safety Earl Thomas.

50 years. 1 legendary night.

The Seahawks Top 50 Welcome Reception brought Legends from every era to celebrate the legacy of their careers. pic.twitter.com/3N9vVxmXfM
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) October 4, 2025

Thomas is more than worthy of being among the Seahawks' legends, as he was a core member of the Legion of Boom, earned six Pro Bowl selections in nine seasons with Seattle and helped the team win its first Super Bowl in 2013.

However, Thomas has been a controversial figure since his messy departure after the 2018 season. The most infamous incident came in his final game as a Seahawk against the Arizona Cardinals on Sept. 30, 2018, when he gave a middle finger to Pete Carroll on the sideline while being carted off with a season-ending injury.

Seattle Seahawks safety Earl Thomas gestures towards his bench after breaking his lower left leg against the Arizona Cardinals in the second half at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. Seahawks Vs Cardinals 2018 | Rob Schumacher/azcentral sports

Thomas gave his perspective on the incident during an interview earlier this year.

"Coach Carroll just told me that we was thinking about getting me a new, new contract... This would have been my third one, but I ended up getting hurt the next game," Thomas told Chris Egan of KING 5. "So I was just pissed that I missed, missed camp. They didn't try to give me a deal, knowing I'm the best player of defense. They didn't try to give me a deal. They made me wait it out. Then I get injured. It sucked, so I was just like. You knew I was pissed. I hate being an introvert. It just makes a bad light around everybody around me because I'm pissed off."

That may have been the most infamous incident, but behind the scenes there, was much more turmoil. The Athletic reported in 2021 that Thomas had developed a reputation for being "uncoachable" and that he had started putting out feelers to other teams after Richard Sherman and Kam Chancellor suffered major injuries in 2017. The following year, he reportedly refused to practice on a regular basis before his own major injury.

Since then, he hasn't been around for many of the Seahawks' alumni events, and it's not hard to see why.

Carroll also shared his own perspective on his strained relationship with Thomas on "Da Get Got" podcast with Marshawn Lynch and Michael Robinson earlier this year.

"I kind of keep track of everybody as best I can, and for those guys just to be available, if they’ve got questions, they’ve got thoughts, they’ve got whatevers, you know...and when we go through this thing together, there’s a connection that’s made," Carroll said. "It doesn’t fall away. It doesn’t go apart unless you’re talking to Earl or something like that, you know. I still love Earl....He doesn’t love me."

There may still be a way to go before the Seahawks and Thomas can fully repair their relationship, but it seems like they're taking steps toward doing so.

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