RENTON, Wash. (AP) — Derick Hall had no interest in testing the open market.
The dynamic young linebacker, who helped the Seattle Seahawks win the Super Bowl last season, signed a $42 million, three-year contract extension on Wednesday that he agreed to a day earlier.
Although he is entering the final year of his rookie deal, Hall has so thoroughly enjoyed his time in Seattle that he opted to forgo free agency. He wants to compete for Super Bowls, which he thinks should be the case for years to come.
“I know we’re going to win a lot of games and a lot of championships here,” the 25-year-old Hall said. “So, I’m willing to sacrifice whatever everybody else thought I’d be willing to make to be here and with this team.”
The 37th overall pick of the 2023 draft earned his big payday. Hall had a key strip-sack in Seattle’s 29-13 win over New England in the Super Bowl.
For Hall to even make it to the NFL was an impressive accomplishment. The 6-foot-3, 254-pounder was born four months premature in Gulfport, Mississippi, and was pronounced dead at birth before being resuscitated.
His mother, Stacy Gooden-Crandle, refused to let life support be discontinued for her son. Gooden-Crandle traveled from Gulfport to Seattle to join Hall for the signing.
“It’s unbelievable. It’s unimaginable,” Hall said. “And, just continue to show up, man, no matter where you started or where you come from. There’s always hope.”
Hall is a locker room favorite known for good-natured ribbing of teammates — “I’m going to talk my junk, they’re going to talk back,” he said — but he hopes to expand his leadership role.
He has 10 sacks and 105 tackles across his first three seasons and believes he’s capable of much greater production.
“There’s so much more for me, and I know there’s so much greater heights that I can go to in my game,” Hall said. “It’s just continuing to work towards that every single day.”
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