AP

Earl Thomas left the field on the Cowboys’ end, meeting up with Jason Garrett as Thomas entered the Dallas locker room to pay his respects to Dez Bryant.

“If y’all have the chance, come get me,” Thomas said to Garrett, not so quietly as reporters waiting to enter the Cowboys locker room heard it.

The Seahawks safety, who grew up in Texas as a Cowboys fan and played at the University of Texas, becomes a free agent after next season. But he downplayed his comment to reporters.

“I went to the locker room to talk to Dez, and I saw coach Garrett,” Thomas said. “I’ve always been a Cowboys fan growing up. The biggest thing about when I said come get me is I don’t literally mean come get me now. I’m still in the prime of my career. I still want to be here. But when Seattle kicks me to the curb, please, the Cowboys, come get me. That’s the only other place I’d rather be If I was kicked to the curb. So that’s what I meant by it.

“People take life too serious. That’s just who I am.”

There has been speculation the Seahawks could part ways with Thomas in the offseason, anticipating a contract holdout. Kansas City safety Eric Berry‘s contract pays him $13 million a season, which likely is in the range that Thomas will seek.

Thus, the Seahawks could shop Thomas in the offseason.

Thomas said he didn’t know what was going to happen — where he will play in the future — but stressed he would love to stay in Seattle.

“Yes, I’m happy here. I love being here,” Thomas said. “This is where I started. I built my resume here. I got Kam [Chancellor] and Sherm [Richard Sherman]. I don’t want to leave.”