Tag: Bobby Wagner

Shaquem Griffin just getting into rhythm as pass rusher

Seattle Seahawks edge rusher Shaquem Griffin is just getting started as a pass rusher, despite immediate results.

The Seattle Seahawks decided a few weeks ago to unleash Shaquem Griffin, who at the time was contributing only on the special teams, as an edge rusher in pass rushing situations.

The results have been excellent, as Griffin’s speed off the edge and experience getting to the quarterback from his time at UCF have made him a formidable presence on the defensive side of the ball.

Griffin has racked up three quarterback hits in his limited role off the edge in the last four games, and according to teammates, he’s only just getting started.

“When he got to the league and you saw him pass rush for the first time, you knew he had the ability to do that,” linebacker Bobby Wagner said of Griffin on Thursday. “We had him off the ball for a while, and the moment he got back to being on the ball, you see the potential that he has. He’s so quick, and he’s able to get around people, and he’s able to use his speed to get to the quarterback. I think he’s just getting into his rhythm. It’s going to be fun to see what he does.”

Griffin excelled as a pass rusher in college, but his lack of size is what kept him on the special teams and as a backup outside linebacker for the first 1.5 years of his NFL career.

Eventually though, his work in practice and the relative lack of pass rush the rest of the team was generating gave Pete Carroll the idea to let him try rushing in games, and while he hasn’t posted huge numbers it is evident he has given this unit a much-needed boost down the stretch.

Griffin will be counted on again on Sunday, when the Seahawks take on the Panthers in North Carolina starting at 10:00 a.m. PT.

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Bobby Wagner nominated for Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award

Seattle Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner has been nominated by the team for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award.

The Seattle Seahawks selected star middle linebacker Bobby Wagner as their nominee for the NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year Award.

Presented by Nationwide, the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award recognizes an NFL player for community service and other off the field areas, as well as performance on the field.

“This means a lot,” Wagner said. “I’ve been fortunate to see so many guys around me inspire me do amazing things off the field and do more than just play. I’m thankful to be in the position to make a small difference in our community.”

Wagner has been involved in a handful of charities in his time with the Seahawks, including “Walk for Wagner” for stroke awareness and “BWagz Sees You” where he delivered supplies to homeless people in the Seattle area.

As a nominee, Wagner will wear a Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year helmet decal through the end of the season in recognition of his accomplishments on and off the field.

From the press release:

“The 2019 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year will be announced during NFL Honors, a two-hour primetime awards special to air nationally on Feb. 1, the eve of Super Bowl LIV, on FOX.

All 32 nominees will receive a donation of up to $50,000 in their name to their charity of choice. For his donation, Wagner has selected the HBCU Foundation, which provides scholarship aid to deserving students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The winner of the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award will receive a $250,000 donation to the charity of their choice. All donations are courtesy of the NFL Foundation and Nationwide.”

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Bobby Wagner: Seahawks’ success fueled by locker room chemistry

The Seattle Seahawks’ success in 2019 has been fueled by the culture and chemistry in the team’s locker room according to LB Bobby Wagner.

The Seattle Seahawks are 10-3 and in second place in the NFC West coming off a brutal loss Sunday night against the Los Angeles Rams. However, they are still hot on the heels of the 49ers for the division lead with three games left to play, culminating in a showdown with San Francisco in Week 17.

Almost nobody expected the Seahawks to start 10-3 in 2019. There are multiple factors that have contributed significantly to the team’s success this season, including the culture in the locker room.

“I just think it shows how close of a group we are,” linebacker Bobby Wagner said last week. “When we go on the road, everybody’s connected, everybody’s together, and I think that’s what makes us a really good road team – the connection, the chemistry, especially on the defensive side because when the offense is up it’s so quiet. We’re able to communicate a lot better, we’re able to talk to one another a lot better. You can only talk to other people if you have a chemistry with them.”

Wagner said he and the other veterans got the younger players involved and mixed the position groups together to make them feel more connected – including while riding on the team bus.

“The one bus thing was just for everybody to be more connected,” Wagner explained. “Instead of separating the groups, having everybody come together, everybody preparing together, everybody coming out together, I feel like it speaks to that closeness. When you’re around the guys so much it makes you learn who you’re playing with and builds that comradery.”

Following their gut-wrenching primetime loss to the Rams, the Seahawks will seek to recover together against the Panthers in their final road game of the season.

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Bobby Wagner makes Forbes’ 30 under 30 list in sports category

Seattle Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner was named to Forbes’ 30 under 30 list in the sports category, thanks to strong financial literacy.

Seattle Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner was recognized by popular business magazine “Forbes” on its list of 30 sports figures under the age of 30.

Wagner has always prioritized being financially savvy, and he has always encouraged other athletes to learn those skills as well.

“We should take the time to learn and understand how to make money work for us,” Wagner told Forbes. “Versus working for money.”

Wagner has invested in a handful of startups, including Denali Therapeutics and the Cultural Leadership Fund. He also negotiated his own contract extension, a three-year, $54 million dollar pact that made him the highest-paid inside linebacker of all-time.

Wagner is using a lot of that money to continue investing and growing his business acumen, but he’s also very willing to give back to his community – as evidenced by his recent decision to buy groceries for low-income families at a Safeway in West Seattle last month.

Wagner will look to build on his strong 2019 season when the 10-2 Seahawks take on the Rams in Los Angeles on Sunday night.

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K.J. Wright moves into 3rd place on Seahawks all-time tackles list

Seattle Seahawks linebacker K.J. Wright is now third in franchise history in tackles, behind teammate Bobby Wagner and Eugene Robinson.

The Seattle Seahawks earned a hard-fought 37-30 win over the Minnesota Vikings on Monday Night Football – giving them a 10-2 record and a spot atop the standings in the hyper-competitive NFC West.

One of the many standouts on Seattle’s defense Monday was linebacker K.J. Wright, who recorded nine combined tackles and one pass defended.

With those nine tackles, Wright officially moved into third place on Seattle’s all-time tackles list, passing longtime Seahawks linebacker Keith Butler.

Wright also eclipsed 100 tackles on the season, the fifth time in his career that he has passed that mark.

In fact, assuming Wright stays healthy for the team’s final four games, he has a great chance to break his career-high of 130 combined tackles, set back in 2014.

Wright’s performance this year has flown a little under the radar, but considering he only played in five games last year after dealing with a myriad of injuries, it’s impressive he has rebounded so well at age 30.

Wright is now behind longtime teammate Bobby Wagner and former safety Eugene Robinson on Seattle’s all-time tackling list. Wagner hopes Wright will join him in the top-two at some point – but he’s content with him sticking right there.

“It would be really cool if when it’s all said and done it’s Bobby and K.J. right next to each other,” Wagner said in October after he took over as Seattle’s top tackler.

“Obviously, Bobby on top though.”

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Bobby Wagner bought groceries for customers in West Seattle

Seattle Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner helped out low-income families in West SEattle, buying them groceries at a local Safeway.

Seattle Seahawks star middle linebacker Bobby Wagner spent Tuesday’s off day helping those in need.

Wagner volunteers with low-income families who live in tiny homes in the greater Seattle area, and he helped buy groceries and other necessities for many of those families at a Safeway in West Seattle on Tuesday.

 

“I went there to just bag some food for the tiny homes I’ve been a part of (for low income families) and it turned into something else,” Wagner said on Wednesday. “Fortunately I got out of there before all the cameras did.”

Wagner went on to say that he doesn’t like getting attention for these kind of acts, but that he does it simply to help out the people in need.

“I do it because there’s a lot of people out there that need a hand,” Wagner continued. “I don’t really want acknowledgement.”

Seattle’s star middle linebacker signed a three-year, $54-million dollar contract extension this past offseason, and is already using his hard-earned money to help out his community – one of many reasons the team invested in him in the first place.

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Teammates, coaches excited for Shaquem Griffin’s bigger role in defense

Seattle Seahawks linebacker Shaquem Griffin was praised by his teammates and coaches ahead of Sunday’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Seattle Seahawks linebacker Shaquem Griffin got the green light in the team’s 27-24 victory against the San Francisco 49ers. He only played 14 defensive snaps, but defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. had a great deal of praise and saw major potential in him going forward.

“When the opportunities arise, that you have to really step up,” Norton told reporters Wednesday. “Griff really, he’s always shown his ability. If you watch his college tape, that’s what he did mainly, was a guy coming off the edge, having a lot of spark, doing a lot of spins. Lot of juice. So, we’re excited about where he can go with this.”

Veteran Seahawk and fellow linebacker Bobby Wagner appreciates Griffin’s ability to get to the quarterback.

“When we watched him practice, it was amazing,” Wagner said Wednesday. “His get-off, his turn, the way he was getting to the quarterback. Then, after that, when you don’t get to the quarterback, the quarterback throws the ball [away]. If you guys watch the film, him coming out of his stack and trying to make a play 10 yards downfield. You notice his energy, you notice his effort, and I feel like he’s been growing and growing.”

With Jadeveon Clowney being a game-time decision for Sunday and the rest of the Seahawks pass rush struggling, Griffin could see significant time against the Eagles. Clowney himself raved about Griffin as well.

“He does everything. I don’t ever put it past him that he can’t do anything now,” Clowney said. “He showed me so much. When he’s over there, I don’t even worry. He’s going to take care of his own. Even with one hand, he still goes out there and does his thing. I’m a big supporter and a big fan of his since I’ve been here.”

Fans may soon see if Griffin can be a significant contributor in a crucial game against Philadelphia.

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Seahawks LB Mychal Kendricks’ sentencing hearing postponed again

Seattle Seahawks linebacker Mychal Kendricks’ sentencing hearing was delayed again in his insider trading case.

For the fifth time, Seattle Seahawks linebacker Mychal Kendricks’ sentencing date was postponed in his insider trading case, according to ESPN’s Brady Henderson.

Kendricks was scheduled to have his sentencing hearing on Thursday in Philadelphia, just three days before the Seahawks play there against the Eagles.

According to Henderson, the case is now on the docket for February. Kendricks is facing potential prison time for insider trading, which he pleaded guilty to back in the fall of 2018. Kendricks will be a free agent at the end of the year.

The date was originally set for Jan. 23, then Jan. 25, April 14, Sept. 25 and most recently Nov. 21.

Sentencing dates get postponed for a lot of reasons, and it is not uncommon for them to be changed at the request of the defense or the U.S. attorney.

Kendricks has been Seattle’s starting Sam linebacker this season, and although he has struggled in his second year with the team he still creates a formidable trio of linebackers alongside veterans K.J. Wright and Bobby Wagner.

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