Cliff Avril: Kam Chancellor ‘making the right decision’ to retire

Cliff Avril probably played his final down in the NFL.

The former member of the Seattle Seahawks and Detroit Lions is relieved that one of his former Seahawk teammates, Kam Chancellor, is apparently following the same road.

‘Your health is way more important than any of this stuff’

While appearing on the SiriusXM Blitz, Avril said he was pleased that Chancellor had seemingly used Twitter to announce he was walking away from the game “because of a risk of paralysis.”

“He’s making the right decision,” Avril told Brian Custer and Brady Quinn. “No one wants to leave the game on someone else’s terms, I guess, in a sense. But at the same time, your health is way more important than any of this stuff. What good does it do for you to play this game for a long time, make a lot of money, but then at the end of it, you can’t enjoy it? So for him, I think that’s the approach he’s taking right now and I can appreciate that, where he’s at with that.

‘Him leaving the game right now, unfortunately it’s too early’

“He’s going to continue to do great things, I believe. But him leaving the game right now, unfortunately it’s too early, but he’s a heck of a ballplayer and everybody will definitely remember him.”

Avril will always remember Chancellor, with whom he played for the past five seasons in Seattle, as an extremely hard hitter.

‘I’ve seen him knock O-linemen out’

“One of the hardest-hitting players I’ve ever been around,” Avril said. “I’ve seen him knock O-linemen out. He just brings that kind of energy. Doesn’t say much, but when he comes out there, he’s just all-in.”