Greg Olsen is set to embark on the next chapter of his career, one that will take him to the Pacific Northwest after he signed a 1-year, $7 million deal with the Seattle Seahawks last week.

But the former Panther still had some unfinished business to take care of in Charlotte before leaving. He and his wife Kara hosted an event at a local workout studio, benefiting their “Heartest Yard” charitable partnership with Levine Children’s Hospital in Charlotte. Their mission is to support families affected by congenital heart disease.

During the event, Olsen took a moment to chat with the Charlotte Observer. Among the topics discussed included the reason why the tight end picked the Seahawks over the Redksins and Bills. Olsen had Panthers connections in both of the other spots, Ron Rivera in Washington and Doug McDermott and Brandon Beane in Buffalo. He said he was “really torn” when it came time to pick his next destination.

So why Seattle?

“I just felt that Seattle’s been special, I just feel like their track record of consistency, we’ve seen it up close and personal here in Carolina at time,” Olsen told the Observer. “And obviously Russell Wilson, he’s an elite, special guy at the quarterback position, and Pete Carroll, it’s just a really elite situation and they showed so much interest in me. It was just too good of an opportunity to pass up.”

Olsen is indeed familiar with the Seahawks. In nine games against Seattle, six of which taking place in the last six years, Olsen caught 32 passes for 368 yards and two touchdowns. He now figures to be one of Wilson’s top options in the passing game in a potentially standout 1-2 punch at tight end alongside Will Dissly.

He caught 52 passes for 597 yards and two scores in 2019, showing that he can still be plenty productive in the NFL as he approaches his 35th birthday. But much like Marshawn Lynch in Seattle’s latest playoff run, Olsen should also have a noticeable impact on the locker room from a leadership standpoint.

In addition, you can bet that Olsen, a three-time Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee, will fully embrace the Seattle community during the upcoming season. The tight end said his entire family will spend the year in Seattle and his kids will attend local schools.

“It’s going to be a little Olsen family adventure,” he said.