Riq Woolen shares scathing response to former 49ers star Donte Whitner

It's not quite as venomous as the Pete Carroll-Jim Harbaugh years, but the rivalry between the Seattle Seahawks and the San Francisco 49ers is as healthy as any in the four major team sports. Last night's win for Seattle illustrated that much at several different junctures, as the game turned from physical to chippy to occasionally dirty as the Seahawks' lead grew.

These days Jauan Jennings and Deommodore Lenoir are the Niners' biggest trash talkers, but they brought one out of retirement to jaw at Seattle this week. Former 49ers Pro Bowl safety Donte Whitner made headlines by claiming the Seahawks' DBs were "afraid" of the Niners' receivers.

Whitner used to be a more creative trash-talker when he was still playing. This is an absurd shot though, especially in the absence of Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk. In any case, the Seahawks shut down the Niners' receivers last night, not allowing any of them to post more than 23 yards.

After it was over, Seattle's star corner Riq Woolen issued this scathing response to Whitner on Twitter.

@DonteWhitner what was the difference today Unc? We only fear God buddy put some respect on that shi old man
— Tariq Woolen (@_Tariqwoolen) January 18, 2026

Woolen didn't have to do a ton of work for his part, but he did perform well - posting two tackles and two PBUs, including the slickest deflections you'll ever see in a playoff game.

Looking ahead, Woolen has (hopefully) two more games to play with the Seahawks before his rookie contract comes to an end. Two months ago, it would have sounded crazy but currently it looks nuts to pursue any course but trying to re-sign Woolen to a lucrative long-term deal.

Early in the season Woolen struggled with tracking extended plays, and his coverage issues led him to getting benched for the third time in his career. However, Woolen rebounded magnificently in the second half of the season, playing tighter coverage than any other cornerback in the NFL.

Re-signing Woolen is going to be an expensive proposition, but the good news is that the Seahawks are going to have plenty of cap space to get it done.

There's still a lot that needs to happen. Right now though it appears that Seattle may have more than just an open championship window. If they play their cards right over the next few months, they might have a shot at building a dynasty. It would be a mistake not to include Woolen in those plans.

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