When Julian Love last negotiated a contract extension with his team, the process was so difficult that he ended up leaving. This time, however, it went smoothly and ended on Thursday when he signed a three-year extension with the Seattle Seahawks worth up to $36 million.
“It was just great, across the board,” Love said. “This process in the past hasn’t been the best for me. From (general manager) John (Schneider) down, all the guys, they were just so professional and I really appreciated how they handled it all.”
With this deal, Love will stay with Seattle through the 2027 season and will secure a position in the secondary for new coach Mike Macdonald.
This contract process was a welcome change for Love compared to his last experience during the 2022 season. He wanted to stay with the New York Giants, the team that drafted him, but his request for an extension was not met.
He ended up becoming a free agent in March 2023, and the Giants decided to let him go. Seattle then offered him a two-year deal worth $12 million.
“I’m a big proponent of when in doubt, double down on myself,” he said. “I think no matter what situation I’ve been placed in, I’ve stayed productive. I’ve stayed who I am, which is tough when things sometimes don’t fall your way. But I think that’s the most validating thing is that I stayed true to myself in this process.”
Love joined Seattle last season as the No. 3 safety behind Quandre Diggs and Jamal Adams but quickly proved his value by playing multiple positions. He started 12 of 17 games and achieved career highs in solo tackles (85) and interceptions (four).
He was selected to the Pro Bowl and was named NFC defensive player of the week for Week 15 after recording nine tackles and two interceptions in a win over Philadelphia.
