Sportsnaut
A one-time Pro Bowl cornerback for the Seattle Seahawks could soon be riding the bench after costly mistakes he made in the Week 1 loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
Riq Woolen, a Pro Bowler as a rookie in 2022 after leading the league with six interceptions, allowed three game-changing plays: a 24-yard reception to wide receiver Ricky Pearsall at the beginning of the fourth quarter; a 45-yard catch to Pearsall on the game’s final drive; and the game-winning touchdown to tight end Jake Tonges.
Riq Woolen on this Ricky Pearsall catch: “I could have played the ball better. I ran the route for him and I knew what type of route it was. I just gotta execute and attack the ball and don’t lose track of the ball.” pic.twitter.com/kZBMJFcKjd
— Dugar, Michael-Shawn (@MikeDugar) September 10, 2025
ESPN’s Brady Henderson reports that Woolen is “fighting for his job.”
When asked if Woolen will start Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said, “We’ll see.”
“He’s the head man, so whatever he says goes,” Woolen told The Athletic’s Michael-Shawn Dugar when asked about Macdonald’s comment. “I’m not going to go against it. Other than that, I can just continue to be Riq and continue to be the great player that I have been.”
In Seattle’s 17-13 loss to San Francisco, Woolen was targeted four times, allowing three catches for 73 yards — an average of 24.3 yards per reception — and a 156.3 passer rating against him, according to Pro Football Focus. Beyond surrendering the touchdown, he also recorded one pass breakup.
Since his Pro Bowl season, Woolen has been demoted twice in the past two years. In 49 games, he has tallied 11 interceptions and 42 pass breakups, plus a pick-six.
If Woolen is benched, the Seahawks can turn to Josh Jobe, who allowed just one yard on one catch while recording an interception. Jobe played 61 of Seattle’s 76 defensive snaps.
“He’s always going to be a big part of the game plan,” Macdonald told The Athletic about Jobe. “He’s competing for more snaps, and I thought he played tremendous football. He played physical, played smart, played disciplined and finished his plays right.”
Jobe started his career as an undrafted free agent with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2022 before joining Seattle in 2024. In 39 games, he has two interceptions and 12 pass breakups.
The Seahawks are three-point road underdogs against the Steelers.
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