Earl Thomas missed his first football game since high school when he sat out the Seattle Seahawks' loss at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week with a hamstring injury.

“It was definitely hard,” said Thomas.

Thomas took his wife, daughter and brother to Portland to watch the Blazers.

Thomas said watching NBA games “kept my competitive spirit going” during what he called “a tough time. Very emotional.”

Thomas also watched the Seahawks' game in disguise at a Buffalo Wild Wings during his Portland trip.

Thomas said he tried to keep his emotions in check but that proved almost as hard as not playing.

“I was into it,” he said. “You can’t be silent. You can’t hide when you are openly passionate about something like this. People knew who I was but they kind of let me be. But it was definitely hard watching it.”