Seahawks Breakout Star Could Miss Titans Game for Personal Reasons

The Seattle Seahawks are flying high after their 20-17 win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football. With starting safety Jamal Adams (knee) sidelined, Julian Love stepped up big time.

Love, who signed a two-year $12 million contract with Seattle this offseason, recorded two interceptions, including a season-saving pick over Eagles receiver A.J. Brown. The NFL named Love as the NFC’s Defensive Player of the Week for his breakout performance.

After the game, Love was asked if his two-pick game was a highlight of his week. Love said no, as he and his wife, Julia Love, were expecting a baby boy on December 20. “Yeah, hopefully, a healthy baby boy comes this week,” he told reporters. “My wife has been doing a killer job throughout this crazy stretch of football. Hopefully, the next time you hear from me, I’ll have a newborn in my hands.”

However, Wednesday has come and gone, and Love’s child has yet to arrive. Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll told reporters on December 22 that Love will not fly with the team to Nashville. If the baby doesn’t arrive before Sunday, he will not participate in Seattle’s matchup against the Tennessee Titans.

“As far as we know, we don’t have a baby yet. So we don’t know about Julian,” Carroll told reporters, per The News Tribune. “But Julian will not be traveling with the team. He will be traveling otherwise (when he can).” Love will do “whatever he has to do,” Carroll noted. “He has to take care of his wife and baby.'”

Carroll, along with the 12s, wishes nothing but the best for Love and his wife. If Love is unable to make it to Tennessee, the Seahawks will look toward Coby Bryant to start.

UPDATE: Saturday, December 23: A Seahawks spokesperson said Love is on his way to Nashville now that his wife has given birth to their baby boy, per ESPN’s Brady Henderson. Love will start tomorrow against the Titans.

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Julian Love Is Expected to Be a Key Starter Against the Tennessee Titans

With a 7-7 record, the Seahawks’ margin for error is gone if they want to make it to the postseason. With Love making such a huge impact on the field, the 25-year-old is predicted to become a regular starter.

Thus far this season, Love has appeared in all 14 games and made nine starts. He’s recorded 99 total tackles, nine passes defensed, four interceptions, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. Carroll was effusive over Love’s talent after defeating the Eagles.

“Love’s game, tagging onto what he did last week, this week incredible game, incredible plays,” Carroll told reporters. “The last catch is exquisite on the sidelines. Toes tapping, hanging onto the football, winning the game… That’s four turnovers he’s been involved in in the last two weeks. Holy cow.”

Seahawks reporter John Boyle addressed Love’s lack of playing time in his Weekly Mailbag Column. Love “deserves to be on the field as much as possible going forward, regardless of other circumstances,” Boyle wrote.

“There are a few ways the Seahawks could get that done, either by using more three-safety looks, or by giving Adams more snaps off to try to keep him healthy down the stretch as he continues to deal with the effects of last year’s torn quadriceps tendon. I don’t know how it will play out over the next few weeks, but my hunch is that, based on how he is playing, Love is going to be on a field a lot for the defense going forward.”

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Seahawks Safety Jamal Adams Is Not Flying With the Team to Tennessee

Adams, who signed a four-year, $70.5 million contract with Seattle in 2021, is dealing with a lingering knee injury. The All-Pro safety was deemed “questionable” against the Eagles, but was officially listed as inactive 90 minutes prior to kickoff.

Questions arose when it became clear Adams wasn’t even at Lumen Field for the crucial matchup. “I think he was home,” Carroll said during a December 19 appearance on Seattle Sports radio.

While Carroll already announced that Adams wouldn’t play in Week 16, he told reporters on Friday that he wouldn’t be traveling with the team either. There’s a possibility Adams will be shut down for the season, but Carroll said that decision has yet to be decided.

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