Seahawks' Chancellor learns to walk fine line

By TIM BOOTH • Associated Press

JERSEY CITY, N.J. – Kam Chancellor is imposing. He's a strong safety that looks like he should be playing linebacker and the hardest hitter in the best secondary in the NFL.

What is setting the 25-year-old Seattle Seahawks star apart is his ability to still be intimidating but do it within the framework of the NFL wanting to protect defenseless offensive players.

It's a tricky line and one that Chancellor struggled with earlier in his career. But he has found a way to accomplish the task of being an enforcer minus the penalties, both on the field and in the bank account.

"I don't think it's a matter of adjusting. It's just learning how to tackle, the proper technique to tackle," Chancellor said. "Once you learn the proper technique to tackle you can get your feet under you and you can explode through anybody."

His play is being recognized outside of just Seattle. He was a Pro Bowl pick and a second-team All-Pro this season. Chancellor was also the first member of Seattle's secondary to be locked up long term when he signed a four-year extension last April.

"He's been the best player on our defense the whole season I think," teammate Michael Bennett said. "I think he's one of the best players in the NFL. I'm surprised he's not up for Defensive Player of the Year. When he tackles, he's just amazing."

Fast forward to the fourth quarter and San Francisco's final drive. Facing a third-and-2, Colin Kaepernick threw a pass for Michael Crabtree on a quick slant. As Crabtree cut for the middle, Chancellor was there waiting. Not surprisingly, Crabtree's arms didn't quite fully extend and he let the pass go incomplete.

"I know if I was coming across the middle about to catch a ball I would be looking for 31," Bennett said.

Chancellor's schooling came from one of the hardest hitters in the NFL. As a rookie, he followed around veteran Lawyer Milloy and attempted to glean every bit of experience the 15-year veteran was trying to pass on to the next generation of strong safeties.

What neither knew at the time was a shift toward player safety that changed how all defensive players — and safeties especially — would play. No longer would certain hits be tolerated, let alone celebrated. Changes had to be made.

"Kam has really, really complied. He's taken it to heart," Seattle coach Pete Carroll said. "The early fines got his attention, but really he just wanted to be able to find a way to play the game really well and he was willing. He wasn't hard headed about it at all. He went about it with kind of a sense that I'm kind of going to really adjust so that I can do this well and do it right and he's done all of that and the exciting part of it is he's maintained his physical style and he's a great hitter and he's always looking for big opportunities. He's been able to do that."