Getty Seattle Seahawks cornerback Tariq Woolen shared a really cool moment with a former great Seahawks player after Thursday Night Football.
The NFL hasn’t officially named Seattle Seahawks cornerback Tariq Woolen to the Pro Bowl yet. The league will announce the Pro Bowl rosters on NFL Network after Week 15.
But leading all cornerbacks at the ballot box as fan voting was coming to an end on December 15, Woolen is practically ensured to have a spot on the team.
For that accomplishment, former Seahawks legendary cornerback and Amazon Prime NFL commentator Richard Sherman offered his congratulations. Sherman and Woolen shared a moment after Thursday Night Football in which the two embraced, and Sherman offered encouraging words for the rookie.
Woolen appeared so excited, he hugged Sherman twice.
I’m so proud of you brother,” Sherman said to Woolen before their first hug. “Keep ballin’
“That s*** is big time! You’re killing it.”
Our heart. 🥺😭 #ProBowlVote
Woolen Leading Pro Bowl Voting at Cornerback
Senior reporter John Boyle of Seahawks.com reported on December 14 that three Seahawks players were NFC leaders at their respective positions in fan voting with under 48 hours left of voting. In addition to Woolen, linebacker Jordyn Brooks and special teams player Nick Bellore were also first in the NFC at their positions in Pro Bowl fan voting.
Woolen and Bellore led the whole league at their respective positions. Brooks was second only to Kansas City inside linebacker Nick Bolton.
With the numbers Woolen has recorded this season, it’s easy to understand why he’s leading all cornerbacks in fan votes. Woolen is putting together an All-Star type season not just for rookies but all cornerbacks.
Boyle reported two other Seahawks players, quarterback Geno Smith and kicker Jason Myers, were second in the NFC in Pro Bowl voting. Safety Quandre Diggs, outside linebacker Uchenna Nwosu and long snapper Carson Tinker were also ranked Top 5 in the NFC at their positions.
How Tariq Woolen Compares to Richard Sherman
Amazon Prime ran a graphic during Thursday Night Football in Week 15 about all the similarities Woolen shares with Sherman. Seattle sports fans have heard about how Woolen compares to Sherman all season.
Both were not only fifth-round picks, but Woolen went 153rd overall in the 2022 NFL draft while Sherman was the No. 154 pick 11 years earlier.
A lanky, tall and fast cornerback who transitioned from wide receiver in college just like Sherman, Woolen has immediately become an NFL star. He was tied for the NFL lead with 6 interceptions and 1 pick-six coming into Week 15. Woolen also has 51 combined tackles, including 1 tackle for loss, 13 pass defenses and 2 forced recoveries.
Sherman led all rookies with 4 interceptions during his rookie season in 2011. He also had 55 combined tackles, 17 pass defenses and 1 forced fumble.
Woolen’s 6 interceptions set a new Seahawks record for most interceptions in a single season as a rookie. He hauled in 4 of those picks in four consecutive games from Week 3-6, which tied a franchise record. Woolen was the first Seahawks player to have an interception four games in a row since Brandon Browner did it in 2011.
In light of all his accomplishments, it was fantastic to see Woolen share a moment with such a popular and former great Seahawks player on December 15. Hopefully for Seattle fans, Woolen continues to follow in Sherman’s footsteps.