Seahawks down to two in Pro Bowl; Bobby Wagner will not play so he can rest
The Seahawks’ Pro Bowl players are back down to two.
The day after the league added cornerback Shaquill Griffin to replace Super Bowl-bound Richard Sherman for this weekend’s Pro Bowl, Bobby Wagner withdrew from the NFL all-star game.
Coach Pete Carroll confirmed that Monday to NFL Network’s Omar Ruiz in an interview from the Pro Bowl in Orlando, Fla.
Seahawks doctors told Wagner in his annual exit end-of-season examination last week he had knee and ankle injuries the All-Pro middle linebacker didn’t know he had. Wagner played through knee pain from the summer then a sprained ankle he got in Seattle’s win at Carolina in December. He led the league in tackles with 159 and was selected to the Pro Bowl for the sixth time.
Carroll said last week Wagner does not need surgery. The coach told NFL Network Monday Wagner is “just going to rest up. He doesn’t have to do anything for it, but he needs to miss this game.”
Wagner said last week, the day after Seattle lost at Green Bay in the NFC divisional playoffs: “I’ll be taking care of my body. There were a lot of stuff going on that I didn’t know about.
“So I’m taking care of myself, health-wise. Having fun, doing the whole family thing, so that will be cool.
“You know, it’s a different offseason than last year. Last year, we had to worry about the contract (he represented himself then signed a three-year deal worth $54 million with Seattle in July), and things of that nature. So a little bit more of a free offseason.”
Wagner said the injuries aren’t major. He says he should be fine for the start of his ninth training camp with the Seahawks. That begins in late July.
Griffin and quarterback Russell Wilson will play Sunday in the Pro Bowl. Carroll and the Seahawks’ staff are coaching the NFC team.
