Seattle Seahawks punter Jon Ryan is in his hometown of Regina, Saskatchewan, this week for his annual charity events benefiting the Gear Up With Jon Ryan Foundation.
But Ryan is already looking ahead to Seahawks training camp, which might feature the biggest battle of his 12-year NFL career.
“The only thing I have control over is what I do on the field,” Ryan said via Rob Vanstone of the Regina Leader-Post. “That’s how I’m approaching it. I can’t control who they pick or who they draft or what guy they want to go with.”
Seattle’s punter since 2008, Ryan will have some stiff competition to make the roster this season after the Seahawks selected Michael Dickson out of Texas in the fifth round of April’s NFL Draft.
“I’ve always been pretty motivated, but this has probably gone a step further with lighting a fire under me,” Ryan said.
The Seahawks are unlikely to keep two punters on the squad, and Ryan will have to fight to keep his position, something he’s had to do since his youth football days.
“I feel like I’ve been trying to prove myself every game since I was playing for the peewee Steelers,” Ryan said. “I’ve always had a bit of chip on my shoulder trying to prove that I belong at whatever level I’m at.”
Ryan also has some off-the-field work to do before camp starts at the end of July. This week, he’ll be hosting his Wednesday Night Live comedy show and the Jon Ryan Charity Golf Classic. He recently became a co-owner of the Portland Pickles, a collegiate wood bat baseball team established in 2015.
“Ninety percent of the time it’s amazing,” Ryan said. “Ten percent of the time it sucks, but the 90 percent of the time is a lot of fun. The baseball side is fun and the business side is a lot like football.”
Ryan, Dickson and the rest of the Seahawks report to training camp on July 25.
