Kameron Darnel Chancellor (born April 3, 1988), nicknamed "Bam Bam Kam", is an American former professional football safety who spent his entire nine-year career with the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Virginia Tech Hokies prior to being selected by the Seahawks in the fifth round of the 2010 NFL draft. A four-time Pro Bowler, he was one of the key members of their Legion of Boom secondary. He also helped lead the Seahawks to victory in Super Bowl XLVIII. Chancellor retired following complications from a neck injury he suffered in 2017.
Chancellor was born in Norfolk, Virginia on April 3, 1988. He attended Matthew Fontaine Maury High School where he played basketball and football as a quarterback and safety for the Commodores athletic teams. As a senior in 2005, he recorded more than 2,000 passing yards and 500 rushing yards and led his team to a 10–2 record and an appearance in the Group AAA Division 5 playoffs. Chancellor was named the team's most valuable player, and he was also placed on the All-Eastern District first-team as well as The Virginian-Pilot All-Tidewater second-team. Rivals.com assessed him as the 27th-ranked pro-style quarterback prospect in the nation and the 20th-ranked player in the state of Virginia. SuperPrep and The Roanoke Times rated him the 21st-ranked player in the state. The 247Sports recruiting site assessed Chancellor as a three-star recruit and he accepted a scholarship offer from Virginia Tech.
Chancellor enrolled at Virginia Tech in 2006 to study human development. He worked out as a quarterback before eventually being moved to the cornerback position prior to the start of the season. He saw action that year as a true freshman in all 13 games, and recorded nine tackles, two broken up passes, and one interception.
In 2007, he was moved to the rover position as the starter and also played on special teams. He started in all 14 games and recorded 79 tackles, seven broken-up passes, three quarterback hurries, and one interception as a sophomore.
Before the 2008 season, Chancellor was moved to the free safety position, his third position change in three of four years at Virginia Tech. Chancellor started in all 14 games and recorded 52 tackles, of which 27 were solo, two interceptions, five broken-up passes, seven pass deflections, one forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries. After the season, he considered entering the 2009 NFL draft a year early, but decided to remain at Virginia Tech for his senior season.
Before his senior season in 2009, Hokies' defensive backs coach, Torrian Gray said that Chancellor could be "the greatest safety in Virginia Tech history. In his senior season, Chancellor recorded two interceptions, one fumble return, 68 total tackles, three tackles-for-loss, and four broken-up passes. Chancellor has said that he attempts to emulate the late Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor, and said, "[He was a] big safety, the prototype guy for the position. I'm a big safety, too, and I've just always wanted to be just like him. I don't necessarily say I can be Sean Taylor before it's over, but I think I can be just as good." Also, before games and when he needs motivation, Chancellor says he watched the highlights of Sean Taylor on YouTube. He says it motivated him to do better, strive for greater things, and took him to a darker place which makes him play better. The CBS Sports-affiliated NFL Draft Scout considered Chancellor the third-ranked of the 126 free safeties available for the 2010 NFL draft and projected him as a third-round selection.
Chancellor was elected to the Virginia Tech Sports Hall of Fame in 2022.
The Seattle Seahawks selected Chancellor in the fifth round (133rd overall) of the 2010 NFL draft. He became the second safety drafted by the Seahawks in 2010, following first round pick (14th overall) Earl Thomas. Chancellor was the ninth safety drafted in 2010.
On June 2, 2010, the Seattle Seahawks signed Chancellor to a four-year, $2 million contract that included a signing bonus of $213,000.
Throughout training camp, he competed for a job at strong safety against Lawyer Milloy, Kevin Ellison, and Jordan Babineaux. Head coach Pete Carroll named Chancellor the third strong safety on the depth chart to start the regular season, behind veterans Milloy and Babineaux.
He made his professional regular season debut in the Seattle Seahawks' season-opening 31–6 victory against the San Francisco 49ers. On September 26, 2010, Chancellor recorded his first career tackle on Darren Sproles after Sproles returned a kickoff for 22 yards. Chancellor forced a fumble that was recovered by Dexter Davis. He finished their 27–20 victory with two solo tackles and one forced fumble. On October 31, 2010, Chancellor recorded two solo tackles and had his first career sack on quarterback Jason Campbell for a three-yard loss during a 33–3 loss at the Oakland Raiders. The following week, he set a season-high with seven combined tackles (five solo) during a 41–7 loss to the New York Giants. He finished his rookie season with 23 combined tackles (17 solo), a pass deflection, a sack, and a forced fumble in 16 games and no starts.
He entered training camp slated to takeover as the starting strong safety following the departures of Lawyer Milloy and Jordan Babineaux. Defensive coordinator Gus Bradley named Chancellor the starting strong safety to begin the regular season, pairing him with free safety Earl Thomas.
On September 11, 2011, Chancellor earned his first career start in the Seattle Seahawks' season-opener at the San Francisco 49ers and set a season-high with ten solo tackles as they lost 33–17. On September 25, 2011, Chancellor collected five combined tackles, two pass deflections, and made his first career interception off a pass attempt by quarterback Kevin Kolb during their 13–10 victory against the Arizona Cardinals. He missed the following game (Week 4), after sustaining a quadriceps injury. On December 24, 2011, Chancellor tied his season-high of ten solo tackles during a 19–17 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. He finished his first season as a starter with 97 combined tackles (75 solo), a career-high 13 pass deflections, four interceptions, and a sack in 15 games and 15 starts. Chancellor ranked second for the Seahawks in both tackles and interceptions. On January 25, 2012, it was announced that Chancellor was added to the 2012 Pro Bowl roster as a replacement for Dashon Goldson of the San Francisco 49ers.
Defensive coordinator Gus Bradley retained Chancellor and Thomas as the starting safeties to start the 2012 regular season. On October 14, 2012, he recorded a season-high 11 combined tackles (seven solo) during a 24–23 victory against the New England Patriots. In Week 11, Chancellor tied his season-high with 11 combined tackles (eight solo) in the Seahawks' 28–24 loss at the Detroit Lions. He finished his third season with a career-high 101 combined tackles (75 solo) and four pass deflections in 16 games and 16 starts.
On April 22, 2013, the Seattle Seahawks signed Chancellor to a four-year, $28 million contract that included $17 million guaranteed and a $5 million signing bonus.
New defensive coordinator Dan Quinn retained Chancellor and Thomas as the starting safeties to begin the regular season. In Week 2, Chancellor recorded five combined tackles, broke up a pass, and intercepted a pass by Colin Kaepernick during the Seahawks' 29–3 victory against the San Francisco 49ers. On December 22, 2013, he collected a season-high 11 combined tackles (six solo), two pass deflections, and an interception as they lost 17–10 to the Arizona Cardinals. He finished the 2013 season with 99 combined tackles (65 solo), six pass, and three interceptions in 16 games and 16 starts. He was named to his second Pro Bowl.
The Seattle Seahawks finished the season atop the NFC West with a 13–3 record and clinched a playoff berth and a first round bye. On January 11, 2014, Chancellor started his first career playoff game and recorded 14 combined tackles (four solo) and two pass deflections during the Seahawks' 23–15 victory against the New Orleans Saints in the NFC Divisional Round. The Seahawks defeated the San Francisco 49ers 23–17 in the NFC Championship and went on to Super Bowl XLVIII. On February 2, 2014, Chancellor made ten combined tackles (six solo), deflected two passes, and intercepted a pass by quarterback Peyton Manning as the Seahawks won Super Bowl XLVIII 43–8 against the Denver Broncos. He was ranked 65th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2014.