Jon Ryan: his best moments with the Seattle Seahawks

Long-time punter Jon Ryan announced via Twitter that he and the Seahawks have parted ways. The classy letter thanked the team and the fans of Seattle, and says goodbye to the place he called home for the last ten years.

Jon Ryan was the longest-tenured player on the Seattle Seahawks roster the past two years. He was drafted ten years ago, and was there for the ups and downs. He will end his Seahawks career with two Super Bowl appearances, including one win and one heart-breaking loss.

The news that Ryan and the Seahawks agreed to part ways is not all that shocking due to the emergence of rookie punting phenom Michael Dickson. Dickson was drafted in the fifth round after Seattle traded up to snag him. His play in the preseason thus far has solidified his role as the starting punter. The release of Ryan saves the Seahawks $2.6 million in cap space this season.

Jon Ryan made some huge plays for the Seahawks

Ryan was consistently one of the NFL’s best punters. So it may be a bit surprising that not all of his big plays were punts. Here are a few of his best moments wearing the navy and action green.

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2008 – In the eighth game of his first season with Seattle, Jon Ryan lights up the San Francisco 49ers with punts of 63, 60, and 55 yards.

2009 – In Seattle’s week six game against the Cardinals, Jon Ryan completes a 42-yard pass to John Carlson, his first NFL pass.

2010 – In a game Seattle needed to win to make the playoffs, Jon Ryan comes through in the clutch. In the fourth quarter, Ryan landed three punts inside the Rams’ 10-yard line en route to winning the NFC West title with a losing record (7-9). Seattle went on to beat New Orleans in the wildcard game.

2013 – Jon Ryan becomes the first player from Saskatchewan to win a Super Bowl, as Seattle beat Denver 43-8 in Super Bowl XLVIII.

2014 – Jon Ryan tosses a 19-yard touchdown to Garry Gilliam on a fake field goal in the NFC Championship game against Green Bay. That touchdown sparked an improbable 16-point comeback win to reach their second consecutive Super Bowl.

2015 – In the wildcard playoff game in Minnesota, a bad snap causes Jon Ryan to run with the ball, where he was flipped into the air and faceplanted on the freezing Minnesota grass. Ryan suffered a bloody, broken nose and two black eyes, but played the entire rest of the game in a winning effort.

2016 – In a Thursday Night Football game vs the Rams, Jon Ryan takes off on a fake punt for 33 yards before getting clobbered and ultimately injured. However, the run solidified an important division win for the Seahawks.

Jon Ryan was a staple at punter for the Seattle Seahawks for an entire decade. He will be missed for his play, and for his class. The Seahawks appear to be in good hands with the younger, cheaper rookie Michael Dickson. Dickson looked better on the field than Ryan, and can replace him as  the punter. It’s going to take a lot to replace the man.