Seattle Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen is ready to move on from his costly sequence in Sunday night’s NFC championship game win over the Los Angeles Rams.
After helping force a fourth down with his team leading 31-20 in the third quarter, Woolen took to trash-talking the Rams sideline and earned an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. That extended Los Angeles’ drive, and the offense immediately capitalized with Matthew Stafford targeting Woolen on a 34-yard touchdown strike to Puka Nacua.
The sudden shift caused some strife on the Seahawks’ own sideline, where Woolen had words with teammates, including rookie safety Nick Emmanwori.
But with the Seahawks holding on for a 31-27 win and a Super Bowl 60 clash with the New England Patriots, Woolen was eager to put the misstep behind him.
After tagging the NFL and Seahawks on social media with a post that said ‘no more taunting penalties’ accompanied by a playful GIF, the fourth-year veteran said his actions were the product of a charged environment.
‘No cap high intense (sic) game and when you in the zone and ballin with your bros sometimes you black out,’ Woolen wrote.
Woolen also responded to the video of him speaking with teammates by dismissing the notion of any lingering issues.
‘Wasn’t getting pressed,’ Woolen wrote. ‘We brothers and we all chasing greatness we on the same mission.’
In a pool report, referee Clay Martin said Woolen was penalized not for a specific remark but rather ‘continued jawing in the opponent’s bench area after being asked to walk away.’
Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald stressed the need for accountability but also came to the defense of Woolen, who remained in the game after the touchdown.
‘Riq’s done a tremendous job for us,’ Macdonald said. ‘And you’re frustrated in the moment about what’s happening, but he made an emotional decision. But we gotta pick him up. That’s not the time to get all upset. … You gotta rebound and come back, and Riq came back and played well the rest of the game. So I mean, it literally is like ‘12 As One’. Just keep picking each other up.
Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones IV was among the Seahawks defenders able to move past Woolen’s lapse.
‘I started, honestly, in that moment laughing because I was like, bro, we worked on these death zone moments,’ Jones said. ‘When our backs are against the wall, man, we’ve worked on these moments. So, I knew that we were going to rise to the occasion, just a matter of who was going to do it.’