Seahawks DE Cliff Avril Not Considering Retirement, Plans To Return

Seahawks DE Cliff Avril tells Greg Bishop that he’s not considering retirement, despite the recent reports that it could be an option after he sustained a neck injury earlier in the year.

Avril says he plans to return at some point this season and is currently getting numerous medical opinions on his neck injury.

“You might see me at the end of this year,” Avril said, per Bishop.

Seahawks HC Pete Carroll told Sirius XM NFL Radio that they will place Avril on injured reserve with a neck injury.

“Cliff Avril will go on IR. He’s seeing a bunch of doctors, seriously looking at a big decision,” Carroll said.

A few weeks ago, Jay Glazer of FOX Sports (via Pro Football Talk) reported that Avril is facing a decision regarding whether he will continue his NFL career after he suffered a neck injury that ended up being far more serious than expected.

According to Glazer, Avril is experiencing numbness from his neck down to his arm.

Carroll previously suggested Avril’s neck injury could be career ending.

“Could be. Could be. We are going to go very slowly and make sure takes all the opportunity to talk to as many people as he wants to, to make sure he knows what he’s got, and what we need to do with it,” said Carroll, via Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times.

Avril, 31, is a former third-round pick of the Lions back in 2008. He spent five years in Detroit before signing on with the Seahawks in 2013. He’s currently in the fourth year of his five-year, $35.5 million contract that included $16 million guaranteed and stands to make base salaries of $4.5 million and $7 million over the next two years of the agreement.

In 2017, Avril has appeared in four games and recorded two tackles and one sack for the Seahawks.

We’ll have more regarding Avril as the news is available.