Chris Clemons Discusses Return to Seahawks on 710 ESPN Seattle

When Chris Clemons was released by the Jacksonville Jaguars last month, it didn’t take long to hear from a few old friends. In particular, Clemons heard from two players who were his teammates when the defensive end was a starter from the Seahawks from 2010 to 2013. And thanks in part to those calls from former teammates Richard Sherman and Michael Bennett, and another one from Seahawks general manager John Schneider, Clemons is coming back to Seattle for a second stint with the Seahawks, having agreed to terms on a deal Friday. Clemons went on 710 ESPN Seattle Monday to discuss his return to Seattle on the Brock and Salk Show.“When I was first released from Jacksonville, I actually got a call from Sherm and Michael Bennett, having a few conversations about going after another title. It was very, very intriguing from them, knowing we had won it all before.” The desire to reunite with the teammates with whom he won Super Bowl XLVIII, as well as an opportunity to chase another title, played a big role in Clemons’ decision to come back to a team that released him after the 2013 season. And some recruiting from a couple of friends didn’t hurt either. “Bennett came to my house, him and his wife, to have dinner,” Clemons said. “We just talked about… going for another title.” Clemons, one of the most important early additions made by Schneider and head coach Pete Carroll, came to Seattle in a 2010 trade and recorded 33.5 sacks in his first three seasons with Seattle, starting every game. A knee injury suffered in the 2012 postseason limited Clemons in 2013, but he still recorded 4.5 sacks in 14 games, making 11 starts. “We all kind of started together back when Pete got here,” Clemons said. “I was part of that group that first came in… That second year was when we really started feeling each other as far as how we were going to play together being a bunch of misfits playing together. “We always stayed in touch. We formed a bond that was so, so special… We never lost contact with each other, we all still watched each other.” Clemons will turn 35 during the 2016 season, but says he’s ready for any role the Seahawks want to throw at him. “I know we all get older, but I’ve been able to take care of my body,” he said. “Coming in and being that third-down rusher, giving Cliff a blow when he needs it, wherever coach needs me, that’s what I’m willing to play, that’s what I’m willing to do. I don’t feel 35. It’s an exciting situation for me now.” Asked how his game compares to when he played for Seattle from 2010-2013, Clemons said, “It’s really no different. I still have that edge, I still play with that chip on my shoulder, but I play a lot smarter now, just knowing the game and allowing the game to come to me now… More of a leader than I was in the beginning. I’m more vocal now.” Clemons hopes that leadership will allow him to help young pass rushers like Frank Clark and Cassius Marsh, something Clemons, Carroll and Schneider have already discussed. “That’s what I look forward to bringing to young guys like Frank Clark, Cassius Marsh, those young guys who haven’t been able to play the game because of the way Michael and Cliff have been playing,” Clemons said. “… Pete and John and I talked about (Clark), talked about his athletic ability, the way he can play the game. It’s a matter of him settling down and getting in the playbook to understand what they actually want from him. That’ll be something I will have a conversation about to get him to understand what it’s going to take to win the Super Bowl. He can be a great asset to that team. Watching him play a few snaps, he’s a hell of a player, he’s just got to put it all together.”

Chris Clemons Discusses Return to Seahawks on 710 ESPN Seattle

After agreeing to terms on a contract with Seattle Friday, Chris Clemons discussed his return to the Seahawks on 710 ESPN Seattle Monday.