Late in the NFC Championship Game against the Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen had one of the worst two-play sequences any player has ever had in a game of this magnitude.
Woolen was flagged for taunting after a third down play by the Rams, which would have resulted in a fourth down and the Rams very likely punting the ball back to Seattle. Instead, Los Angeles got a free first down and, on the very next play, Woolen gave up a deep, 34-yard touchdown to Puka Nacua.
Fortunately, the penalty didn't end up costing Seattle the game after the Seahawks defense clamped down the rest of the way.
Late Sunday night, Woolen posted a gif to X that read, "I'm sorry. Do you still love me?" accompanied by a cartoonish-looking animal with big eyes. But, below that, he offered an explanation:
"No cap high intense game and when you in the zone and ballin with your bros sometimes you black out."
Riq Woolen's apology for taunting doesn't sound remotely like a player the Seahawks can trust
But you knew this, already, didn't you?
Why on earth would anybody trust Woolen not to do something foolish like this in Super Bowl LX? To me, this sounds exactly like a player who would act mindlessly just two weeks after his latest incident.
Why?
He admitted to "blacking out" and on one of the game's biggest stages. Quite the poor choice of words, but to nobody's surprise.
This is nothing new. Woolen has made a career out of immature decision-making and, because of that, his future in Seattle has already very likely been decided. Just one more game in a Seahawks uniform and he'll be on to free agency.
Woolen has been benched multiple times over his young career. Despite being a talented player with rare physical tools, it's everything that happens between the ears which gets him in trouble.
Last year, specifically, Woolen was benched for the first drive in Week 16 after breaking team rules. He has already been flagged for taunting on two separate occasions this year -- Week 9 against Washington and five weeks later against the Falcons.
His explanation after an apology still rings of pure immaturity. It is no secret that this was an intense game. Of course it was. This was one step away from the Super Bowl and against a division rival. That's obvious.
Admitting to being "in the zone" and then "blacking out" is so far from the type of explanation Seahawks fans would have liked to hear, but sadly, it is also right on par. It comes as no shock. This is who he is.
So, as the Hawks prepare for the Super Bowl, just brace yourselves for yet another mishap, as I'm sure you already are.