It's been a long road for Seattle Seahawks defensive back A.J. Finley in his recovery from a torn ACL.
Just over a year after being carted off at Fan Fest inside Lumen Field, Finley was back, but he was celebrating rather than feeling the pain of the injury consume him. Finley intercepted a pass from quarterback Sam Darnold , which prompted the entire defense to celebrate alongside the fans. For Finley, the interception meant more than just a big play.
"It really didn't hit me until I got to the sideline and all the boys were congratulating me," Finley told reporters . "It's definitely a full-circle moment. I'm just sticking the process, taking it day-to-day, and honestly, it's been a hell of a ride."
Los Angeles Chargers safety AJ Finley against the Arizona Cardinals. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect
Finley was on injured reserve through the entire 2025 campaign, recovering from his torn ACL. He spent four games on the roster during the 2024 season after being claimed off waivers following his release by the Los Angeles Chargers .
Finley is fighting to get back in shape, but he is also hoping to get on the 53-man roster, which won't be easy next to an incredibly deep secondary. Finley's monster play at the end of Fan Fest showed that he is healthy, ready to go and able to make plays.
"It was incredible," Macdonald told reporters. "I'm incredibly happy for him. He's worked incredibly hard, he's been a great teammate the whole process. At this time last year, he was really battling for a great role, and he's put himself right back in the thick of things. He broke the team down at the end, which I thought was really cool.
"It was one of those things like, how do you handle it as a coach? Do you bring it up, do you not? We were thinking about it-I know AD (defensive coordinator Aden Durde) talked to him this morning-we were all kind of thinking about him going into this. That was really cool."
While Finley made a great play on the defensive side of the ball, the reason for him making or not making the 53-man roster will come down to his abilities on special teams. Throughout his career so far, Finley has logged 75 defensive snaps but 432 special team snaps. That being said, the Seahawks prioritize playmaking skills, so Finley's big interception definitely helps his case to earn a spot on the roster.
The Seahawks will release an unofficial depth chart later this week ahead of their first preseason contest against the Dallas Cowboys , but he has an uphill battle if he wants to make the team.
| Position |
First-String |
Second-String |
Third-String |
Fourth-String |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strong Safety |
D'Anthony Bell |
A.J. Finley |
Brandon Johnson |
|
| Free Safety |
Bud Clark (R) |
The Seahawks will likely carry four or five safeties, so Finley is fighting for one of those final roster spots alongside Rodney Thomas II, Brandon Johnson, and Maxen Hook.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/seahawks/onsi as The Best Quote at Seattle Seahawks Fan Fest .
