RENTON, Wash. -- Seattle Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon wasn't interested in talking Wednesday about his ongoing quest for a contract extension, but the three-time Pro Bowl selection did explain his decision to practice without one.
Whereas hold-ins have become common in the NFL among players who are seeking new deals, Witherspoon took part in Seattle's offseason and has not missed a day of training camp.
"We've got a long season ahead of us, man, contract or not," he said in his first comments to reporters since Seattle's victory in Super Bowl LX over the New England Patriots. "We've still got to play football at the end of the day, and we've got to be out there and be prepared. If you're not practicing, you're not getting ready for the season because everybody else in the league is practicing and they're getting better.
"That's where my mind is at right now. I'm focusing on what I need to do right now. I'm not really worried about anything else."
After the Seahawks made Jaxon Smith-Njigba the highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL in March, they immediately turned their attention to an extension for Witherspoon, a fellow franchise cornerstone and 2023 first-round pick. But whereas Smith-Njigba's deal came together quickly, contract talks with Witherspoon have dragged out for reasons that remain unclear.
Despite that, Witherspoon has practiced all offseason with his usual enthusiasm. Earlier in camp, coach Mike Macdonald praised his approach.
"I'm really impressed by it, honestly," Macdonald said. "It's something that you're not used to dealing with as a player. So to be able to take ... whatever's going on in that front and compartmentalize that, it shows you his maturity and his commitment to the team, and really his own personal development, too. How much he loves football, and how he wants to be out here and try to get better. I really respect his approach so far. It's been great."
In last week's season premiere of "Hard Knocks," Witherspoon commented on his contract situation for the first time, making his case to be paid while saying his focus is on football. He reiterated the latter point Wednesday.
"I'm not worried about that right now," he said. "I'm out here focused on making plays and trying to get better day by day. We've got other stuff we're focusing on. Ultimately we're trying to win games, so that's what I'm focused on."
Asked a follow-up about his contract, Witherspoon replied, "Like I said, I'm really not focusing on that."
Witherspoon has two years remaining on his rookie contract, including the 2027 option year that Seattle exercised in March.
