Seahawks bench Woolen for violating team rule

SEATTLE — The Seattle Seahawks benched former Pro Bowl cornerback Riq Woolen for the opening drive of their loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday for undisclosed disciplinary reasons.

“That was just a team rule thing,” coach Mike Macdonald said. “We made it right and that’s what we decided to do, what was best for the team, and we’ll move forward.”

Approached in the locker room postgame after Macdonald’s news conference, Woolen said he would answer questions only from a specific media member, and the lone reporter he spoke with did not ask him about the benching.

Woolen resumed his usual every-down role after the opening drive. He finished with two tackles and three passes defensed, including one on third down in the fourth quarter in which he dislodged the ball from tight end T.J. Hockenson‘s hands, forcing a punt that preceded Seattle’s go-ahead touchdown drive. He was flagged for a holding penalty that was declined.

“I felt like he played a good game,” Macdonald said. “We’ll see what the opportunities were. But he did have a couple pass breakups, so that was good.”

Woolen was trailing in coverage on Justin Jefferson‘s game-winning touchdown catch, though it appeared he was expecting help over the top from safety Julian Love, who did not arrive in time.

“They made a great play,” Macdonald said. “I think we were in Cover 2 to that side. They threw a seven-cut and we just couldn’t get there.”

The brief benching was another lowlight in what has been a rocky third season for Woolen, who made the Pro Bowl as a rookie fifth-round pick in 2022 but has been up and down since.

Macdonald had a frank assessment Monday of how Woolen played last week in Seattle’s loss to the Green Bay Packers, in which he allowed three catches on four targets for 53 yards and a touchdown as the nearest defender in coverage. He was also flagged for roughing the passer and pass interference.

“It wasn’t Riq’s best game, but he’s a guy that we’re going continue to lean on and trust to make plays for us and lock down his area of the field,” Macdonald said Monday. I think Riq’s tackling well. He’s doing a lot of good things. When the ball doesn’t come his way, there’s a reason why they’re not throwing his direction. But there are just a couple of plays right now per game where we want more from him, and he knows that. He’s the first one to tell you.”

Macdonald later said Woolen needs to maintain his focus on every play.

“It’s a play-to-play mentality,” the coach said Wednesday. “When he’s locked in, I think he’s as good as it gets. And then when he’s not as locked in, then that’s when some technique errors show up. But it has nothing to do with his ability. It’s all about just the approach pre-snap.”

Woolen was asked this week about the public criticism of his play.

“I don’t give a [expletive] anymore,” he said, according to The News Tribune. “I really don’t care. I mean, when you do good, they gonna love you. When you do bad, they gonna talk about you.”

Among 115 players to be the nearest defender in coverage on at least 40 targets through Week 15, Woolen entered Sunday ranked 29th in completion rate allowed (58.3%) and 77th in passer rating allowed (98.2), according to ESPN Research.

Woolen has 13 passes defensed, two interceptions and a forced fumble in 13 games this season, having missed two in October with an ankle injury.