Earl Thomas entered training camp with a goal to become the Seattle Seahawks’ primary punt returner and this weekend it was revealed that he has achieved that goal.

The Seahawks released their final 53-man roster Saturday, along with an official depth chart, and in addition to holding down his customary starting free safety slot, ET III was also named the team’s starting punt returner.

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ET will be backed up at the position by cornerback and fellow All-Pro Richard Sherman. The team’s third string return man will be rookie receiver Paul Richardson, out of Colorado.

After the roster was announced, Seattle head coach Pete Carroll met with the media. He fielded questions about the roster, and when asked if No. 29 would remain as the team’s first-string punt returner, he simply replied, “Yeah.”

When competition opened for the punt returner job at the beginning of the offseason, Earl was the frontrunner to win the lead role. ET hadn’t returned punts since his days as a Texas Longhorn, but he expressed all spring and summer his strong desire to take on the new role.

“I’m an athlete,” Earl said. “I’ve been returning punts; I did it in college and I’m excited about the opportunity. I love that rush. That’s why I like doing one-on-ones because it gives me those competitive juices. Same with punt return.”

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Many observers of the team believed putting No. 29—perhaps the most valuable player on the entire defense—in a potentially risky situation on special teams, wasn’t in the team’s best interest.

But, never one to cave to the court of public opinion, Carroll allowed his star free safety to audition for the role in preseason and saw game-changing ability in Earl as punt returner, all the while observing just how much holding down the important position means to ET III.

The turning point for ET III’s punt returner audition came in one of his last available opportunities. In Week 3 of the preseason, Earl ripped the Chicago Bears special teams unit for a 59-yard return, and he would’ve gone for six if it wasn’t for a shoestring tackle by punter Pat O’Donnell.

There also might have been an underlying force behind Carroll’s decision: the ultra-competitive nature that he shares with No. 29.

“I watch this game and live this game through his eyes often,” Carroll said of Earl.

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Asked often how the role will affect his ability on defense and whether the risk of injury weighs on him, Earl made it clear that he doesn’t share the same concerns as his observers.

“I don’t have fear playing football,” he said. “I don’t have fear in life. God’s got me. I’m covered and I just trust it.”

Earl will have his official punt return debut when the Seahawks begin the 2014 regular season this Thursday night against the Green Bay Packers at CenturyLink Field. Kickoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. PDT and the game can be seen nationally on NBC.

RELATED ARTICLES

  • Above all, Pete Carroll is a teacher (HeraldNet, Aug. 29, 2014)
  • Depth Chart (Seahawks.com)
  • Seahawks Depth Chart: Earl Thomas No. 1 Punt Returner (Seattle Times, Aug. 30, 2014)
  • Earl Thomas wins Seahawks’ punt returner job (NFL.com, Sept. 1, 2014)
  • Seahawks Coach Pete Carroll: Earl Thomas is top punt returner (Sports Illustrated, Sept. 1, 2014)
  • Seahawks to let All-Pro safety Earl Thomas return punts (Fox Sports, Sept. 1, 2014)
  • Earl Thomas will return punts for Seahawks (ProFootballTalk, Sept. 1, 2014)