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80 ILLUSTRATED VOLUME 24, ISSUE 6 f were looking for when they recruited me. It's working out." Although Avril's numbers at Purdue might not rank with other great Boilermaker defensive ends — his 13 career sacks are No. 14 all-time, while modern era players like Rosevelt Colvin (35), Phillips (33.5), Ayo- dele (29) and Spencer (21) had far more — he has excelled as a professional. After being selected in the third round of the 2008 draft by the Detroit Lions, Avril developed into one of the league's premier pass-rushers. His best statistical season came in 2011, when he had 11 sacks for the Lions, with six forced fumbles and an interception. But afterward, he turned down a three-year, $30-million contract extension in Detroit — instead signing a one-year franchise tag agreement — bank- ing on hitting the free agent market a year later. And he did, but found the market softer than expect- ed. He signed for two years and $13 million in Seattle prior to 2013 but says he has no regrets, saying previ- ously that it's "not like I'm playing for pennies." "The market was a little messed up when I became a free agent, in terms of guys signing huge deals," said Avril, who is entering the final year of his contract with Seattle. "But once I no- ticed that, it was definitely all about seeing where I could go that would help me get to the Super Bowl. They had a great team. To be honest with you, it was more about fit in this great defense. Once we figured all that out, I'm glad I made that decision." It appears so. Behind of one of the best, and deep- est, defenses in the NFL, Seattle won Super Bowl XLVIII, pounding Denver 43-8 in New Jersey. Avril had to adjust to a bit of a new role. After missing most of last off- season and training camp with foot and hamstring injuries, he was a reserve for the Seahawks. "Initially, I didn't think that was going to be the case," he said. "I had the hype of being a top free agent. Other than my rookie year, I had pretty much been starting the whole time I've been in the league. It was all about putting your pride aside, honestly, we had so many good players on that D-line. It was like, 'All right, well, if you just want me to be a pass-rusher, if that's what's going to help us get to that level, it is what it is.' "To be honest, we all played about the same number of snaps; it was just that first play of the game really that counts as starting. But it all worked out. I felt the healthiest I've ever felt, since my rookie year, after the season, and I played an extra three games." Avril and his teammates received their Super Bowl rings in June, then the former Boilermaker (2004-07) was awarded the Drew Brees Mental Toughness Award at the NFF Dinner on June 25. Avril is deserving. The son of Haitian-born parents, he was an athletic freak at Clay High School in Green Cove Springs, Fla. But he was raw as a football player, too, showing off his abilities on a basketball court as much as on grass. Seattle Seahawks Avril was a pass-rushing specialist in his first season in Seattle, and a good one, totaling 8.0 sacks and five forced fumbles.