Bobby Wagner Named Second-Team All-Pro
Continuing to star in his 10th NFL season, Seahawks linebacker and team captain Bobby Wagner earned Second-Team All-Pro recognition from the Associated Press on Friday.
Wagner, 31, has received First or Second-Team All-Pro recognition each of the past eight seasons, with his latest selection extending his franchise record. Six of those selections have been of the First-Team All-Pro variety, including five consecutive First-Team honors from 2016 to 2020. Hall of Fame left tackle Walter Jones previously held that mark with six total All-Pro team selections.
While his numbers admittedly were inflated by the fact Seattle played more defensive snaps than any other NFL team this year, Wagner racked up a career-best 170 tackles in 16 games. Prior to suffering a sprained knee in a Week 17 win over Detroit, he led the league in tackles and broke his own single-season franchise record, only for teammate Jordyn Brooks to surpass him and top the record with 183 tackles in the season finale.
Along with eclipsing 100 tackles for a 10th consecutive season and finishing third in the NFL in tackles despite his late injury, Wagner produced three tackles for loss, an interception, a sack, and five passes defensed. Interestingly, Pro Football Focus tagged Wagner for 14 missed tackles, the second-highest mark of his career, while also charging him with allowing 73 receptions for 679 yards in coverage.
Although it wasn't the best season of Wagner's career, however, the future Hall of Famer still only surrendered a single touchdown on 87 targets in coverage and contributed 10 pressures on just 50 blitz attempts. Considering his gaudy tackle numbers, it shouldn't come as a surprise he remains one of the game's top linebackers in the eyes of voters.
With the Seahawks enduring a difficult 7-10 season, no other players were named to either All-Pro team. Safety Quandre Diggs, Brooks, fullback/special teamer Nick Bellore, and punter Michael Dickson each received votes.
If Seattle has an All-Pro snub to grip about, Diggs likely would take the cake after being arguably the most consistent player on the team on either side of the football this season. Earning his second straight Pro Bowl selection, the ball-hawking defender led the team with five interceptions and finished third behind Brooks and Wagner with 94 total tackles, proving his worth both in coverage and as a run defender.
Coming into his own in his sophomore season while starting all 17 games, Brooks led the league in tackles after producing 20 of them against the Cardinals in Week 17. He led the Seahawks with 10 tackles for loss and also contributed five pass breakups in coverage, three quarterback hits, a sack, and a fumble recovery.
Finishing third behind A.J. Cole and Bryan Anger in voting for punters, Dickson enjoyed another spectacular season for one of the best special teams units in the NFL. He led the league with 42 punts pinned inside the opposing 20-yard line and finished third overall with 12 punts pinned inside the opposing 10-yard line.
As for Bellore, the veteran remained a force on kick and punt coverage for Seattle, finishing third in the NFL with 15 special teams tackles and forcing a fumble.
