ARIZONA — When the Arizona Cardinals arrive after their bye week to face the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field, the home team will be without its starting center.
Connor Williams will retire midway through the season, according to Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald.
“Connor, earlier this week, decided to retire,” Macdonald said (h/t Seattle team official website). “Personal reasons, we respect that, we wish him the best and we have to move forward.”
Seattle has two huge division games ahead of them, taking on the San Francisco 49ers this week before hosting the Cardinals next week.
Olu Oluwatimi will start at center for Seattle.
From Seahawks on SI Corbin Smith:
“According to Macdonald, Williams’ decision to retire had nothing to do with the knee injury he was coming back from, but he chose to keep everything else discussed during their meeting earlier in the week internally. As for the possibility that the veteran could change his mind, Macdonald rejected this idea, believing that his decision to withdraw from the match was final.
Williams has started every game for Seattle this season.
We’ll see how the Seahawks handle this sudden and massive change, although Arizona will benefit from real film (and extended rest) against its new look before traveling to Seattle in Week 12.
