With Future Uncertain, Tyler Lockett 'Always Will Be a Seahawk'

Wrapping up his 10th season with the Seattle Seahawks, veteran wide receiver Tyler Lockett awaits decisions about 2025.

Connor Benintendi | 21 Hours Ago

Sep 17, 2023; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett (16) smiles as he walks off the field with teammates following their overtime win over the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. / Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

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Seattle Seahawks

In what may have been Tyler Lockett’s final postgame press conference as a Seattle Seahawk, the franchise’s longest-tenured player didn’t open by talking about himself, the game, his teammates or his coaches.

Instead, Lockett advocated for all the people behind the scenes who have impacted him daily over the last decade of his life and career — some of whom he’s known since he was drafted by the team out of Kansas State in 2015.

“I think our equipment staff and our athletic training staff should definitely get a raise … literally, they barely even sleep. When we come back on Monday, we got seven, eight hours [of sleep] in. [They’re] still pulling the all-nighter just to help us,” Lockett implored. “It just speaks volumes, the people that we have in this building and I’ve been blessed to be able to know them, some of them for 10 years, some of them for six, some of them for one.”

By the end of his press conference, Lockett had also mentioned the public relations, video, media, nutritionist, strength, and “everybody else that I didn’t name” sectors of the organization.

That’s who Lockett has been during his Seahawks career: The consummate professional, who is more concerned about others than himself.

With Lockett, 32, nearing the end of his stay in the NFL, Seattle began bringing in future receiving talent. The Seahawks drafted Jaxon Smith-Njigba with the No. 20 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, and Lockett quickly took the former Ohio State prospect under his wing.

“It means a lot to hear his words, and for him to be right beside me is definitely cool,” Smith-Njigba said per the team’s official website. “He has meant everything to me. To come in and have Tyler Lockett, one, a great person, and the ultimate teammate, the ultimate competitor, I couldn't have walked into a better situation. He's a guy that I love, and I'm just happy that we both wear the same jersey.”

After a slow rookie season, Smith-Njigba broke out in 2024 to the tune of 100 catches, 1,130 receiving yards and six touchdowns — tying Lockett’s single-season catch record set in 2020. With the relationship the two receivers had built, there was something special about the two players sharing the record with Lockett still on the team.

“Shout out to Jax for wanting me to still be right there beside him,” Lockett said, chuckling. “At least I’ll be able to share it with somebody. Sometimes it’s lonely up there at the top. … It’ll always be cool at this moment just to be able to talk about how great of a player JSN is … it’s kind of cool to share that in a record book with him for sure.”

Statistically, only one pass-catcher has compiled a Seahawks resume more extensive than Lockett’s. Steve Largent, who played for the Seahawks from 1976–89, leads Seattle in every major career receiving category. Lockett is second.

Lockett has won the Steve Largent Award three times in his career, given to one Seahawks player each season who exemplifies “the spirit, dedication and integrity” of the team. He’s also been nominated by the Seahawks for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award twice.

eattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) and Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett (16) celebrate.

Oct 22, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) and Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett (16) celebrate after Jaxon Smith-Njigba scored a touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals during the first half at Lumen Field. / Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

In 10 seasons, Lockett has caught 661 passes for 8,594 yards and 61 touchdowns. If he played as many games as Largent (200) at his 53.4 yards per game average, Lockett would surpass the 10,000-career receiving yard mark (10,680).

Lockett has stated he wants to play next season but also acknowledged it may not be in Seattle. His cap hit in 2025 is nearly $30.9 million, which accounts for 11 percent of Seattle’s overall cap space, per Over The Cap.

Entering a diminished role with the rising talent around him, Lockett had his worst statistical season since 2017, catching 49 passes for 600 yards and two touchdowns this season.

It’s not the first time Lockett has contemplated his future with the Seahawks. He said he had the same indication last season while the franchise was transitioning head coaches for the first time in 14 seasons. Seattle kept him around despite his $18.9 million cap hit.

“You never know when it’s going to be the end,” Lockett said. “I kind of plan on playing again. I know it’s not the very, very end. It’d be different if I was retiring. But, yeah … it’s, you know, always going to be somewhat sensitive just because that could have been the last time you put on a jersey. So I’m glad I ended with a catch just in case. I’m glad we ended up with a win.”

Lockett’s first career game was against the Los Angeles Rams (St. Louis at the time), and his last game in a Seahawks uniform may have been against the same opponent. He had two catches for 28 yards in Sunday's 30-25 season-ending victory.

Even though Lockett surpassed 500 receiving yards in each of his first three seasons, the 2015 third-round pick was also the team’s primary kick and punt returner. It became clear Lockett would be a special player when he returned his first-ever NFL punt 57 yards for a touchdown against the Rams.

“I went out there and I just played,” Lockett said. “Yeah, you might have some emotions and different thoughts that go through your head, but you got to get all that stuff out or learn how to play through it when you’re out there in the game.”

Sep 13, 2015; St. Louis, MO, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett (16) rushes past St. Louis Rams punter Johnny Hekker (6) and scores a 57 yard touchdown during the first half at the Edward Jones Dome. / Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Lockett leaving isn’t a done deal. While he deferred most questions about his future to a need to speak with his agent, Lockett said there would be discussions with Seattle’s front office on what would work or wouldn’t and what his role would be, among other things.

“I’m sure they kind of have their time frame, people that they want to extend, people that they want to talk to. And I'm sure there’s a lot of stuff they got to figure out,” Lockett said of the timetable surrounding those conversations. “So, you know, I’m going to be patient, kind of talk to my agent, see what he thinks and stuff like that. And we'll just kind of go from there.”

But as Lockett progressed through that possible final press conference, his answers always circled back to the people within the organization who are beloved to him.

Regardless of whether he remains in Seattle to close out his playing career, Lockett could still return and retire as a Seahawk. Few players in the NFL have an equal impact on and off the field that Lockett has had.

Lockett doesn’t take any part of the process lightly, he said. In addition to being proud of his tenure in Seattle, he’s glad to have had a lengthy professional football career.

“Overall, man, that’s what makes coming into the building fun,” Lockett said of the behind-the-scenes individuals within the team. “When you have relationships with people outside of football, it makes you excited to get up, to be able to go and try to achieve this journey that we're all on … I think the city is amazing. I’ve always viewed Seattle as a college town. And, yeah, maybe this isn’t the end. Maybe it is the end. But I always will be a Seahawk through and through.”