Justin Britt

BIOGRAPHY

Justin Britt, born on May 29, 1991, is a renowned former professional American football player who presented a stunning career as a center in the National Football League (NFL). His football journey can be traced back to his high school years at Lebanon High School in Lebanon, Missouri where he started shaping his talents. Here, Britt dabbled in various sports, showcasing his athleticism and earning letterman status three years running for football, wrestling, and track.

Britt emerged as a notable player in his senior year in high school, displaying exceptional prowess in wrestling. A quietly determined competitor, he won the class 4 Missouri state heavyweight championship in wrestling in 2009, maintaining an unbeaten run throughout the season with a record of 45–0. The previous year also housed considerable achievements for Britt with him placing sixth at the state wrestling championships in the heavyweight division and becoming the district heavyweight champion. Furthermore, he polished his resume with three consecutive conference titles bagged in 2007, 2008, and 2009.

The young, promising sportsman’s versatility in football led him to the University of Missouri, where he donned the Tigers’ jersey from 2010 to 2013. After being redshirted for the opening 2009 season, he ascended to the role of a second-string guard in 2010. His on-field athleticism and strategies did not go unnoticed, leading to a promotion to starting left tackle for the 2011 season, during which he started all 13 games. Britt retained the starting position for the remaining two seasons, switching between left and right tackle positions.

In the 2014 NFL draft, Seattle Seahawks placed their faith in Britt, selecting him in the second round with the overall 64th pick. During training camp in 2014, he secured the right tackle position and debuted in the season-opening game against the Green Bay Packers. Despite starting in all 16 regular season games and a divisional round playoff game, an injury sidelined him during the NFC Championship game. His rookie year saw a challenging time battling as a pass blocking tackle, according to Pro Football Focus. Nevertheless, the Seahawks secured an NFC West pennant with a 12–4 season record, eventually losing to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLIX.

In 2015, Britt was asked to transition from right tackle to left guard after a few slip-ups in his performance. Although he started the season as one of the least effective pass blocking guards, his improvement was significant enough to see him rise from 49th to 27th ranking in pass protection across several weeks. Concurrently, his run blocking skills saw admirable refinement.

Following a gruelling off-season in 2016, Britt was shifted again, this time to the center position. Pete Carroll, the Seahawks’ head coach, affirmed that they had planned this move since drafting him in 2014. A year later, on August 17, 2017, Britt reaffirmed his commitment to the Seahawks, signing a three-year contract extension worth $27 million.

During a 2018 match-up against the Los Angeles Rams, Britt got embroiled in a volatile altercation with Rams’ defensive tackle Aaron Donald, attracting a $20,000 fine for his part in the fight. The following year, a serious knee injury led to him being placed on injured reserve in October 2019. Following his recovery, on March 8, 2021, Britt signed with the Houston Texans, only to be placed on injured reserve again in October due to another injury. However, he bounced back again, and on March 21, 2022, he committed to a two-year extension contract with the Texans.

Before the ink could dry on his contract, Britt was placed on the reserve/non-football illness list on September 20, 2022. His journey with Texans ended on March 4, 2023, when he was released by the team. Following this, he decided to retire from his glittering professional football career. Despite the trials and tribulations, Justin Britt’s contribution to the sport is commendable, leaving a rich legacy for future athletes to follow.