RENTON — Tyler Lockett and Nick Bellore have both been in the NFL for a long time, and on Monday, they were recognized by their teammates with an honor bestowed on a team’s most respected and trusted voices.
For both of them, along with fellow captains Quandre Diggs and Al Woods, the recognition was a tremendous honor, and one that they (for the most part) don’t take lightly.
Lockett steps into the role left empty when Russell Wilson, who was the team’s offensive captain for the past nine years, was traded to the Denver Broncos during the offseason.
While this is his first time as a captain at the professional level, Lockett was previously voted into the role by his college teammates at Kansas State. Lockett’s seven full seasons in the NFL have been among the most productive in Seahawks history, as his 6,067 career receiving yards rank fifth on the team’s all-time leaderboard.
“I think it just says a lot about how my teammates feel about me,” Lockett said. “I feel like I don’t have to do anything different, I just have to keep being myself and doing what has always kept me here and what got me here. The biggest thing is it just makes me feel good about myself, understanding what I bring to the table, understanding how my peers and the coaches, and everybody around me views me.”
The honor doesn’t mean that the usually soft-spoken Lockett has to be more vocal than usual.
“It’s just about learning how to talk to people,” Lockett said. “You can’t talk to everybody the same, you’ve got to learn how some of them, you can be hard on them, some of them you’ve got to be able to ease your way into the conversation. But at the end of the day, you have the same goal. Try to be able to help them be their best self as well.”
In Bellore’s case, it is the second consecutive year he has been named a special teams captain. Bellore was named a captain last season after being selected to the Pro Bowl in 2020.
Bellore is entering his 12th NFL season, having previously played with the New York Jets, San Francisco 49ers, and Detroit Lions before signing with the Seahawks in 2019.
He took a lighthearted approach to his captainship, joking that the best part of the role is having leverage over the younger players to run errands for him or bring him snacks to the practice facility.
“It was awesome,” Bellore said of being named a captain. “I think it’s more of a testament to the young guys sorting our ages in descending order and they picked Al (Woods) and I first. But, no, it’s great that they think of us as leaders, and you know, it’s an honor to be a captain on this team.”
Russell Wilson named Broncos team captain
Russell Wilson’s days as a Seahawks team captain are done, but he has quickly stepped back into the role with his new squad. On Tuesday, the Broncos announced that Wilson had been named as one of Denver’s five team captains.
“I think you always want the quarterback to be one of those guys that you’re looking to,” Denver head coach Nathaniel Hackett said. “They are the ones that really roll with the whole offense and how the team plays. I’m very glad (Wilson) was voted the captain. In the end, it’s about who the players believe in.”
The Broncos and Seahawks will get to see each other soon as the two teams are slated to face off this Monday night on ESPN, with Wilson making his Broncos debut in front of the fans at Lumen Field.
Notes
- Cornerback Artie Burns was not in pads for Tuesday’s practice. Burns re-aggravated a groin injury in the preseason game against Dallas on Aug. 26 and has not practiced since.
- Offensive lineman Jake Curhan was also not in pads Tuesday, after injuring his elbow in the game against Dallas.
- Kenneth Walker III was on the field Tuesday but not in pads. He has been out since undergoing hernia surgery last month.
- Cornerback Sidney Jones (concussion) was in pads and participating in drills Tuesday, though he was still wearing a guardian cap over his helmet.