Defensive end Cliff Avril took a seat on the couch outside the Seattle Seahawks' locker room, started scrolling through his Instagram account and took a moment to reflect.

"This is crazy," Avril told ESPN.com. "I’ve been to a lot of places since the season ended."

Avril, 31, has been one of the Seahawks' most consistent and durable defensive players in recent years. Last season, he compiled a career-high 11.5 sacks and made his first Pro Bowl.

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But Avril has perspective, and he doesn't want football to define him. His parents came to America from Haiti in the 1980s, and, for the past two offseasons, Avril has traveled to Haiti to lead a series of community initiatives. Last year, he pledged to build a house for every sack he picked up.

Avril made good on that promise in the offseason, traveling with a group that included NFL players Michael Bennett (and his wife), Marshawn Lynch, Gosder Cherilus, Leger Douzable and Stephen Tulloch, along with Avril's wife, mother, cousin and others.

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