NFL announces punishment for Seahawks star ahead of Super Bowl LX
The Seattle Seahawks are still a week away from their Super Bowl LX matchup against the New England Patriots, but one player found himself in the news Saturday after the NFL released its weekly fines.
Only one player from the AFC and NFC Championship Games faced punishment from the league, and it came as little surprise that it was Seahawks star cornerback Tariq Woolen.
Woolen was fined for one of the more controversial moments from Seattle’s win over the Los Angeles Rams last weekend, when he taunted the Rams’ bench on what appeared to be a change of possession. Instead, the penalty resulted in an automatic first down for Los Angeles.
The NFL has cracked down on taunting and player safety more than ever this season, with similar actions routinely resulting in fines each week. In Woolen’s case, the league issued a $17,398 fine for taunting at the 2:20 mark of the third quarter.
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Woolen acknowledged that he made a mistake in a crucial moment of the game, but fortunately for him and his teammates, the Seahawks were still able to pull out the victory.
Not long after the game ended, Woolen apologized for his decision, writing, “[NFL] [Seahawks] no more taunting penalties,” while sharing a GIF that jokingly read, “I’m sorry. Do you still love me??”
He also explained that he simply “blacked out” in the moment, saying, “No cap, high-intensity game, and when you in the zone and ballin’ with your bros, sometimes you black out.”
Woolen has been a major part of the Seahawks’ defensive success this season. Since bursting onto the scene as a fifth-round pick in 2022 — a year in which he earned his lone Pro Bowl selection — he has remained a key piece of Seattle’s secondary.
Under head coach Mike Macdonald, the Seahawks’ defense ranks No. 1 in points allowed and No. 1 overall in Defensive DVOA. Woolen is one of several contributors in a deep secondary rotation that also includes Devon Witherspoon, Coby Bryant, Josh Jobe, Julian Love, and Nick Emmanwori.
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