Sports

Walter Jones Retires: What They’re Saying

Soon to be hanging at Qwest Field

Walter Jones was to the Seahawks what gravity is to the universe. Not flashy, not one to provide the most memorable moments. Just a steady and indispensable force that holds everything together.

What They’re Saying

“I tell people, the two greatest athletes I ever played with were Deion Sanders and Walter Jones.”–Robbie Tobeck, via Seahawks.com

“It was once said of Jim Brown that there are many superstars but only one Superman. It was my good fortune to watch Walter Jones ply his trade for over a decade–and to understand, for a time, what Superman actually looked like.”–Doug Farrar, Yahoo Sports (full column on Jones).

“I faced a number of other Hall of Famers who were fantastic players, and Walt was head and shoulders above them…It was like wrestling a bear for three hours.”–Patrick Kerney, via Seahawks.com.

“It will be a great honor to have our #12 hanging up next to Walter’s #71.”–@JonAxell.

“It’s the feeling that you have when you have a left tackle that can play like he does, and you don’t have to monkey with your protections that much that way. You just can say, ‘OK, you’ve got that guy and we’ll help in other areas.’ Very few teams can say that.”–Mike Holmgren, via TNT.

“‘Invisible” was how Big Walt liked it. Wasn’t invisible to the RE’s who tried for years to get past him. Most overlooked runblkr.”–Jim Mora Jr., via Twitter.

“As much as we all love Steve Largent, he was never a DOMINANT player, and he was probably never the best player in the NFL at his position. Walter Jones is the indispensable man: He is the one player MOST responsible for the Seahawks golden age from 2003-2007.”–Johnny Peel, Dave Krieg’s Strike Beard (full column on Jones for HOF).

“Walter was probably a better athlete than everybody on the field other than the defensive backs.”–Bryce Fisher, via TNT.

“Walter will always be connected to us and will always be a huge part of the Seahawks family.”–Pete Carroll, via Seahawks.com.

More Jones

This story, which Matt Hasselbeck told to the Times‘ Danny O’Neil, is awesome: “At Super Bowl XL in Detroit, Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Joey Porter spent days leading up to the game working up a verbal lather. When the game started, Hasselbeck said he started talking back. That’s when Jones told the man he’d be protecting not to worry. ‘He just grabbed me,’ Hasselbeck said. ‘And it was maybe the loudest I’d heard him on the field. “Please don’t. I got it. Don’t worry. Don’t say anything to this dude. I got this.”‘”

  • The Seahawks video tribute to Jones. Best part comes about three minutes in, from the 2005 NFC championship, of Jones blocking Panthers DE Mike Rucker about 15 yards downfield. Jones is like a truck with arms. The team immediately retired Jones’ #71. 
  • The Seahawks asked fans to share thoughts on the Twitter hashtag #thankyouwalter. Pretty neat to read.
  • By declaration of Governor Gregoire today is Walter Jones Day in the State of Washington.
  • A photo of Jones’ locker.
  • There will be no farewell press conference per Jones’ request.
  • The stats: In 180 career starts, Jones was called for holding just nine times. As Seahawks Addicts points out, Jones had as many Pro Bowls as holding calls. In 5,703 career pass plays, Jones allowed just 23 sacks.