Seahawks bench Woolen for violating team rule

2 weeks ago
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    Brady Henderson, ESPNDec 22, 2024, 11:15 PM ET

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      Brady Henderson is simply a newsman for NFL Nation astatine ESPN. Henderson covers the Seattle Seahawks. He joined ESPN successful 2017 covering the squad for Seattle Sports 710-AM. You tin travel him via Twitter @BradyHenderson.

SEATTLE -- The Seattle Seahawks benched erstwhile Pro Bowl cornerback Riq Woolen for the opening thrust of their nonaccomplishment to the Minnesota Vikings connected Sunday for undisclosed disciplinary reasons.

"That was conscionable a squad norm thing," coach Mike Macdonald said. "We made it correct and that's what we decided to do, what was champion for the team, and we'll move forward."

Approached successful the locker room postgame aft Macdonald's news conference, Woolen said he would reply questions only from a circumstantial media member, and the lone newsman he said pinch did not inquire him astir the benching.

Woolen resumed his accustomed every-down domiciled aft the opening drive. He vanished pinch 2 tackles and 3 passes defensed, including 1 connected 3rd down successful the 4th fourth successful which he dislodged the shot from tight extremity T.J. Hockenson's hands, forcing a punt that preceded Seattle's go-ahead touchdown drive. He was flagged for a holding punishment that was declined.

"I felt for illustration he played a bully game," Macdonald said. "We'll spot what the opportunities were. But he did person a mates walk breakups, truthful that was good."

Woolen was trailing successful sum connected Justin Jefferson's game-winning touchdown catch, though it appeared he was expecting thief complete the apical from information Julian Love, who did not get successful time.

"They made a awesome play," Macdonald said. "I deliberation we were successful Cover 2 to that side. They threw a seven-cut and we conscionable couldn't get there."

The little benching was different lowlight successful what has been a rocky 3rd play for Woolen, who made the Pro Bowl arsenic a rookie fifth-round prime successful 2022 but has been up and down since.

Macdonald had a frank appraisal Monday of really Woolen played past week successful Seattle's nonaccomplishment to the Green Bay Packers, successful which he allowed 3 catches connected 4 targets for 53 yards and a touchdown arsenic the nearest defender successful coverage. He was besides flagged for roughing the passer and walk interference.

"It wasn't Riq's champion game, but he's a feline that we're going proceed to thin connected and spot to make plays for america and fastener down his area of the field," Macdonald said Monday. I deliberation Riq's tackling well. He's doing a batch of bully things. When the shot doesn't travel his way, there's a logic why they're not throwing his direction. But location are conscionable a mates of plays correct now per crippled wherever we want much from him, and he knows that. He's the first 1 to show you."

Macdonald later said Woolen needs to support his attraction connected each play.

"It's a play-to-play mentality," the coach said Wednesday. "When he's locked in, I deliberation he's arsenic bully arsenic it gets. And past erstwhile he's not arsenic locked in, past that's erstwhile immoderate method errors show up. But it has thing to do pinch his ability. It's each astir conscionable the attack pre-snap."

Woolen was asked this week astir the nationalist disapproval of his play.

"I don't springiness a [expletive] anymore," he said, according to The News Tribune. "I really don't care. I mean, erstwhile you do good, they gonna emotion you. When you do bad, they gonna talk astir you."

Among 115 players to beryllium the nearest defender successful sum connected astatine slightest 40 targets done Week 15, Woolen entered Sunday classed 29th successful completion complaint allowed (58.3%) and 77th successful passer standing allowed (98.2), according to ESPN Research.

Woolen has 13 passes defensed, 2 interceptions and a forced fumble successful 13 games this season, having missed 2 successful October pinch an ankle injury.

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