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Seattle Seahawks locked in fourth place super bowl Advance with dramatic 31-27 win over Los Angeles Rams in NFC game championshipThe win was all but overshadowed by a lack of discipline from cornerback Rick Woolen.
For a brief period, another reality loomed, in which Woolen’s name could become infamous among Seattle sports fans.
With the Seahawks leading 31-20 late in the third quarter, Woolen was flagged for taunting after breaking up a pass from Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua on third-and-12.
This ill-advised call gave Los Angeles a first down, and on the next play, the Rams scored a 34-yard touchdown to win.
Looking back on the incident, Woolen admitted: “Even though I had a great performance, I wasn’t good for my team and I had to do better and celebrate with the team. The next play, they scored a touchdown and if I had just celebrated with the team, that wouldn’t have happened.”
Referee Clay Martin later clarified in a pool report that Woolen “became involved in an altercation with the Rams bench” and continued to play despite “repeated efforts by the covering official to turn him around to his bench,” resulting in the yellow flag.
The lapse in judgment was one of three teasing penalties Woolen has suffered this season and initially sparked frustration on the Seahawks’ bench.
Linebacker Ernest Jones noted that it took the team “a few seconds” to regain composure. However, Seattle’s defense quickly regrouped, a crucial response considering the Rams’ ensuing offense.
Los Angeles then completed the longest drive of the game, holding the ball 14 times, 84 yards, and took more than 7 minutes.
Despite reaching the Seattle six-yard line, the Seahawks defense held firm. Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford forced two fumbles, resulting in a turnover.
Tensions came to a head when Rams coach Sean McVay elected to play on fourth-and-4, but Stafford’s pass was broken up in the end zone by Devon Witherspoon.
When the raucous fans at Luman Field erupted in celebration, it marked the perfect end to an emotional roller coaster for Woolen, coach Mike McDonald and the entire Seahawks organization.
Defensive lineman Byron Murphy II emphasized the team’s unity, saying, “We just tell each other, you’ve got to keep going, keep playing. No matter what, we have Rick’s back. Whether it’s a positive thing or a negative thing, you’ve got to keep moving forward.”
Coach Mike McDonald echoed those sentiments, stressing the need to support teammates who make “emotional decisions.”
He added: “This is not the time to point fingers, get upset. You’ve got to go play the next game, score, and bounce back. Rick came back and played well the rest of the way. So I mean, it’s really like ’12 in one.’ Just keep lifting each other up.”
Safety Julian Love, who described himself as the “glue” of the defense, played a key role in making sure Woolen’s mistakes didn’t derail the team.
Love admitted the penalty was a “bad decision” and intervened to prevent an aggressive confrontation.
He recalled telling Woolen: “Obviously, don’t do it again. But I love you and you’re going to play for us. That’s how we handle the next step.”
Because of this collective resilience and leadership, Woolen’s name will be remembered for his team’s Super Bowl victory rather than a moment of costly indiscretion.