Tyler Lockett: ‘Without our health, none of it even matters’
Seahawks star Tyler Lockett missed the Rams game with COVID-19. The harrowing experience gave him a new appreciation for the things he once took for granted. Little things like breathing without pain, and eating.
Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett says he found a new outlook on life after a bout with COVID-19. Lockett was placed on the Seahawks COVID reserve list on December 16th, the same day he tested positive for the virus. All good 12s remember how happy we were when the NFL changed their policy and pushed the game back two days. Hey, it could have been worse. The Hawks could have had 20 players out with COVID like New Orleans vs Miami and been forced to start their fourth-string quarterback.
Back to the subject on hand. Tyler Lockett had been vaccinated and had even filmed a commercial promoting the vaccine for the state Department of Health. So he took the pandemic seriously. As Adam Jude reported for The Seattle Times, Lockett said his bout with COVID changed his view of not just the disease, but of his career and life. Here’s what he had to say about the virus itself:
Tyler Lockett sees things differently after his fight with COVID
"“People see COVID as just whatever, until you actually get it or you go through it or other people in your family go through it, and you see how detrimental it is,” he said. “And you see how people do die from this stuff. That’s why I said for me, it’s unfortunate that I couldn’t play, but I’m also thankful that I’m able to still be here and still enjoy my life.”"
Lockett reported that his chest hurt, had chills, and that he couldn’t keep food down. He also said that he lost about eight pounds during the ordeal. He added that he felt more tired than normal after the Bears game. He just needs five more yards to set a new high for his career. While grateful for the opportunity, he’s grateful for much more than that:
"“Once you come down with COVID, you start realizing none of this stuff matters because you really just want to beat it and move past it,” he said. “And I think sometimes it makes you take a step back, because we get so caught up in all these accomplishments and all these things that we care about and we don’t even realize that without our health, none of it even matters. I think being able to come back, you want to have a different perception and a different viewpoint of how you see things, but now I’m just thinking for each day that I get it, and how can I make the best out of it.”"
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Tyler Lockett has always been a guy that gets it. He was the first Seahawks player to say there was a critical problem with the Seahawks offensive schemes. He led the team meeting that spurred the Hawks to a critical win over the Niners. Give him some credit; they’re 2-2 since that meeting. And of course, there’s the little matter of him being the Seahawks nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year award. Tyler Lockett has always seen the bigger picture. Now he sees even more.