Rams’ Bobby Wagner Says Seahawks ‘Gave Up On Me’ Ahead of Seattle Return | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors

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Los Angeles Rams linebacker Bobby Wagner will be returning to a place of familiarity when his team visits the Seattle Seahawks in Week 18.

Wagner, who spent the first 10 years of his career with the Seahawks, told reporters that he feels particularly motivated when he enters Lumen Field on Sunday because he will be “playing the organization that you felt gave up on you.”

The 32-year-old has made no secret of his distaste for how his tenure in Seattle came to an end. He reportedly found out about the team’s plans to go younger at linebacker prior to being directly informed of his eventual release in March. Seahawks general manager John Schneider and head coach Pete Carroll both shouldered the blame for how the situation was handled.

“Yeah, that’s on me. I own that,” Schneider said at a press conference in March. While Carroll interjected to accept some of the responsibility, Schneider added, “No, it really is [on me]. I wish I could have handled things better in that regard from a communication standpoint. I owe it to him. The organization owes it to him.”

One of the best defensive players in franchise history, Wagner was selected to eight consecutive Pro Bowls from 2014 to 2021 and he was an eight-time All-Pro selection as a member of the Seahawks. He signed a five-year, $85 million contract with the NFC West-rival Rams after his release, giving him the chance to face his old team twice a year.

In his first meeting against Seattle in Week 13, Wagner recorded his only two-sack game of the season and also snagged an interception. Los Angeles lost the game 27-23 and is out of playoff contention with a 5-11 record heading into Sunday’s game.

This time around, Wagner has the chance to spoil the playoff hopes for the Seahawks (8-8), who are still fighting for the final wild-card spot in the NFC in the regular-season finale. It’s an opportunity that he relishes.

“It’s going into a stadium I’ve been thousands of times, played hundreds of times,” Wagner said Wednesday. “And to be in a position to spoil their playoff hopes is always a good position, something worth playing for. And it will be fun to go back there, be back in front of those fans that I spent so much time [around]. And it should be a fun game.”