SEATTLE (AP) — Identical to they did initially of the season, followers in Seattle took the chance on Sunday to indicate one of many Seahawks’ previous greats how they felt about him.
Bobby Wagner was greeted with cheers and chants of his identify 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 house staff into extra time.
“It is enjoyable to play on this stadium. We have had some nice years,” Wagner mentioned. “I’m grateful for the followers and the love they’ve proven. Thanks.”
Wagner and the Rams did their greatest 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 disguise from listening to gives to work in broadcasting.
“As I mentioned, something about what is going on to occur to me, I am not enthusiastic about that proper now,” McVay mentioned. “I admire the way in which these guys are ending the season.”
Wagner’s return had a really completely 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 among the best defensive gamers in franchise historical past.
Seattle followers’ admiration for Wagner was most notable initially 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 mentioned, “Bobby! Bobby! going out as the only real consultant of the Rams for the coin toss.
“There may be all the time love right here, initially and off the pitch,” Wagner mentioned. “It is all the time been like this. It’ll 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 sphere at Lumen Discipline, 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 loads of skeptics, individuals erased me earlier than this yr. And I feel I silenced some,” Wagner mentioned. “However I feel the most important factor for me was getting injured on this area final yr. I did not need this to be my final sport on the sphere. God is nice. I am joyful to have the ability to get out and end all these video games, and I am grateful to everybody who helped me get thus far.
“I am grateful. I am excited, wholesome and able to do it once more.”
Wagner did not have the identical impression 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 sphere shortly after scoring the game-winning area purpose 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,” mentioned Seattle coach Pete Carroll. “I believed he performed rather well once more. They’d nice video games at the moment; carry out the perfect in you.”
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