It took everything, but they got there. Sam Darnold and the Seahawks clawed their way back to the top of the NFC, surviving a 31-27 battle with the Los Angeles Rams to secure their first conference title since 2014. The reward is a trip to Santa Clara to face the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX. But that long climb came with a price that Seattle is now forced to reckon with, especially cornerback Riq Woolen.

As per the league’s GameDay Accountability Report, the player has been fined $17,389 for taunting in the third quarter with 2:20 left on the clock. This fine falls under the Unsportsmanlike Conduct.

Here’s what happened: With 2:20 left in the second quarter,  Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford launched a deep pass toward wide receiver Puka Nacua. Woolen read it perfectly and knocked the ball away before it could land. Immediately after, the Seattle player turned toward the Rams’ sideline and exchanged words with their head coach, Sean McVay, and several members of the Los Angeles bench, drawing attention from officials.

As a result, the officials flagged Woolen for taunting, handing the Rams 15 free yards and an automatic first down, and that call proved costly. On the very next snap, Stafford found Nacua again, this time for a 34-yard touchdown. Notably, Woolen was once again in coverage as Rams Nation roared and the score tightened.

Following that sequence, the league office reviewed Woolen’s actions for further discipline. Typically, a first taunting offense can bring a fine of up to $11,593, while a second offense can rise to $17,389. Since Woolen already had two such fines during the 2025 season, the NFL ultimately charged him $17,398 just weeks before the Super Bowl.

Woolen’s first fine came after Seattle’s Week 9 win over the Washington Commanders, when he was docked $11,593. Later, his second arrived following a Week 14 victory over the Atlanta Falcons, costing him $17,389.

Also, Woolen was the only player to be fined from the NFC Championship game. Throughout his career, the player has accepted 29 penalties.

As per the NFL’s Rulebook Section 3, Article 1: “Using baiting or taunting acts or words that may engender ill will between teams” is a prohibited act and falls under unsportsmanlike conduct.

During the 2025 season, the league made taunting a clear point of emphasis. Officials were instructed to crack down, with the NFL taking a tougher stance on unsportsmanlike conduct in an effort to reinforce sportsmanship across the game. Additionally, players are ejected if they are flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct twice in the same game.

That said, Woolen understands he crossed the line this time, and he made sure to acknowledge it.

Riq Woolen apologizes to the Seattle Seahawks

Once the game ended, Riq Woolen addressed his costly taunting penalty head-on. He apologized publicly and took to social media, admitting he lost himself at the moment while promising there would be no more taunting fouls moving forward.

“No cap, high-intensity game, and when you’re in the zone and balling with your bros, sometimes you black out,” he wrote on X.

That clarification mattered, especially given the immediate fallout on the field. Woolen’s penalty didn’t sit well with his teammates, and the Fox broadcast captured the tension in real time. Players like Coby Bryant, Leonard Williams, and Nick Emmanwori were all seen confronting the cornerback.

Regardless, Woolen still received support from his team. Head coach Mike Macdonald echoed that as well, urging the team to stay poised and not linger on one mistake.

“Look, Riq has done a tremendous job for us,” Macdonald said later. “Yeah, you’re frustrated in the moment about what’s happening, but he just made an emotional decision, and we’ve got to pick him up.

“That’s not the time to point (the finger) and get all upset. You’ve got to go play the next play and score and go rebound back and go back. Riq came back and played well the rest of the game. So, I mean, it literally is like ’12 As One. ‘Just keep picking each other up.”

Later on, once the win was secured, Woolen also made sure to shake hands with Rams coach Sean McVay. That moment mattered, especially since the taunting call nearly flipped the game. Fortunately for the Emerald City, the Hawks held on. Woolen’s mistake will likely fade into the background as the focus shifts entirely to the Super Bowl. But the player has more to worry about.

Many believe that Woolen might be one of the players who will leave the Seahawks in free agency.

The cornerback has totaled 12 interceptions in his career, but inconsistency has kept him from fully tapping into his potential in coverage. Still, his tools are hard to ignore. At 6-foot-4 with elite speed, he fits naturally in a defense that leans on man coverage and two-deep zone concepts.