Clowney on free agency: 'I'm trying to get to the Super Bowl'
Seattle Seahawks defensive end Jadeveon Clowney said his upcoming free-agency decision will come down to which team he believes can compete for a championship.
"I just want to win," Clowney said after the Seahawks' 28-23 loss to the Green Bay Packers in the divisional round on Sunday, according to Brady Henderson of ESPN. "I'm trying to get to the Super Bowl by any means. That's what I'm looking for. Who's going to get me there? I ain't looking to get on no sorry team for no money. That ain't going to fly.
"I ain't gonna put my body through all of that just to lose no 16 games, go home with my check. I'd hate that, so that ain't what I'm doing. So if I can't win no Super Bowl, I ain't going to no team that can't win."
Clowney played under a one-year, $15-million deal this season after being traded from the Houston Texans in August. He's scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent on March 18.
The 26-year-old, who missed three games in 2019 due to a core-muscle injury, recorded three sacks, five forced turnovers, and two touchdowns in the regular season. Seattle then knocked off the Philadelphia Eagles on Wild Card Weekend before falling to the Packers.
Clowney, a former first overall pick, added that he'll likely have surgery this offseason to repair the core-muscle issue. He opted against undergoing surgery during the season, as it would have sidelined him for several weeks.
"(Seahawks teammates) tell me every week: 'Thank you for not quitting on us and not giving up,'" Clowney said. "I said, 'Y'all ain't never got to worry about that with me.' If I can go, I'm going to go. That's what it is. If I was able to go the rest of the season, fight for them, I was going to fight for them."
It's unclear if the Seahawks will look to re-sign Clowney. The team is projected to have more than $63 million in 2020 cap space, per Over The Cap.