Lofa Tatupu, a long-time anchor of the Seattle Seahawks defense, has reportedly been released. Tatupu signed a rich extension in 2008, only to suffer through injuries since, leaving the Seahawks little choice but to ask him to restructure his contract. As the team hit the field for training camp, Tatupu was absent, sitting on the sidelines, but not doing any team-related workouts. As we found out later, Tatupu was in the midst of contract re-negotiations.
According to Adam Schefter, Tatupu did not restructure his contract and asked for a release instead. On Sunday morning, the Seahawks agreed to release him, ending his time in Seattle.
It's official: Seahawks and LB Lofa Tatupu decided to mutually part ways. He will be released and will be looking for work elsewhere.
With that, the Tatupu era is over. His early career with the Seahawks was outstanding, and he played a big role in the team's success in the mid-2000's. But he's fallen on hard times as football takes a toll on his body, forcing him to spend more time in the training room than on the field. With a variety of injuries and no guarantee he could stay healthy, the Seahawks had to work out a cheaper deal to free up cap room, and were unable to in the end.
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