Los Angeles Rams defensive finish Bobby Wagner, 45, waves to followers after dropping extra time to the Seattle Seahawks at an NFL soccer sport on Sunday, January 8, 2023, in Seattle. (AP Photograph/Stephen Brashear)
AP
SEATTLE
Simply as they did at the beginning of the season, followers in Seattle took the chance on Sunday to indicate one of many former Seahawks greats how they felt about him.
Bobby Wagner was greeted with cheers and chants of his title whereas enjoying as an opponent in Seattle for the primary time in his profession, serving to the struggling Los Angeles Rams take the playoff hopeful dwelling crew into extra time.
“It is enjoyable to play on this stadium. We have had some nice years,” Wagner stated. “I’m grateful for the followers and the love they’ve proven. Thanks.”
Wagner and the Rams did their finest to finish Seattle’s playoff possibilities earlier than the Seahawks received 19-16 in extra time.
The Rams ended the season with probably the most losses ever by a defending Tremendous Bowl champion, with an extended checklist of main accidents and questions on the way forward for a number of gamers and coach Sean McVay, who did not conceal from listening to gives to work in broadcasting.
“As I stated, something about what is going on to occur to me, I am not fascinated about that proper now,” McVay stated. “I respect the best way these guys are ending the season.”
Wagner’s return had a really totally different really feel than the return of former Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson with Denver in Week 1. Wilson was booed closely. However Seahawks followers confirmed Wagner loads of love.
Wagner spent his first 10 seasons in Seattle, the place he was a six-time All-Professional and top-of-the-line defensive gamers in franchise historical past.
Seattle followers’ admiration for Wagner was most notable at the beginning of the sport, in contrast to Wilson, who alienated many earlier than being traded to the Broncos within the low season. Whereas Wilson was mocked on the coin toss about 4 months in the past, Wagner obtained a standing ovation and stated, “Bobby! Bobby! going out as the only real consultant of the Rams for the coin toss.
“There’s all the time love right here, at the beginning and off the pitch,” Wagner stated. “It is all the time been like this. It may be like that perpetually.”
Getting an opportunity to play once more in Seattle was a motivator for Wagner. The final time he was on the sector at Lumen Subject, he limped with a knee sprain at Week 17 final season.
He was launched by the Seahawks in March in a pay cap transfer. Enjoying once more in Seattle was a precedence after signing with the Rams.
“There are numerous skeptics, individuals erased me earlier than this 12 months. And I believe I silenced some,” Wagner stated. “However I believe the largest factor for me was getting injured on this subject final 12 months. I did not need this to be my final sport on the sector. God is nice. I am completely satisfied to have the ability to get out and end all these video games, and I am grateful to everybody who helped me get up to now.
“I am grateful. I am excited, wholesome and able to do it once more.”
Wagner did not have the identical influence on the sport when the groups met on the SoFi Stadium final month. In that match, Wagner made seven tackles, two sacks and one interception.
On Sunday, he made seven interceptions, once more together with one loss, however no game-changing video games. As Jason Myers left the sector shortly after scoring the game-winning subject objective in extra time, he took a while to acknowledge a big group of followers staying close to the Rams tunnel.
“I noticed him earlier than the sport and we had some enjoyable punching one another,” stated Seattle coach Pete Carroll. “I assumed he performed very well once more. That they had nice video games as we speak; carry out the most effective in you.”
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