Seahawks Survive Tariq Woolen Penalty To Secure Super Bowl Berth

The NFC Championship Game at Lumen Field on January 25, 2026, will be remembered not just for the Seattle Seahawks’ thrilling 31-27 victory over the Los Angeles Rams, but also for a moment of controversy that nearly shifted the course of the contest—and perhaps the entire NFL postseason. In a game packed with drama, explosive plays, and no shortage of emotion, Seahawks cornerback Tariq Woolen found himself at the center of attention after a costly taunting penalty that threatened to undo Seattle’s hard-fought lead. Yet, in the end, the Seahawks survived the scare and punched their ticket to Super Bowl LX, where they’ll face the New England Patriots in a highly anticipated rematch of Super Bowl XLIX.

Let’s set the stage: midway through the third quarter, Seattle held a commanding 31-20 advantage. Quarterback Sam Darnold, who would finish the night with a stellar 25 completions on 36 attempts for 346 yards and three touchdowns, had the Seahawks in control. The Rams, led by veteran Matthew Stafford, were desperately seeking a spark to keep their Super Bowl dreams alive.

That spark came, unexpectedly, on a defensive stop that should have swung momentum even further in Seattle’s favor. On third-and-12 from the Seattle 49-yard line, Stafford’s pass fell incomplete, and the Rams appeared destined to punt. But then, in a flash of poor judgment, Woolen celebrated the play by taunting the Rams’ sideline—right in front of the officials. The result: a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for taunting, erasing the defensive stand and gifting Los Angeles a first down at the Seahawks’ 35-yard line.

“This is just unacceptable,” one fan lamented on social media, echoing the frustration felt by many in the stadium and watching at home. The penalty was Seattle’s fifth of the game, but none had come close to matching its potential impact. Even more damning, on the very next snap, Stafford capitalized on the opportunity, launching a 34-yard touchdown strike to Puka Nacua—who, fittingly, was covered by Woolen. Suddenly, the Rams were within four points, the score now 31-27, and the energy at Lumen Field shifted palpably.

The fallout was immediate and intense. Fox cameras caught a heated exchange on the Seahawks sideline between Woolen and safety Nick Emmanwori, among others. Emmanwori, clearly agitated by his teammate’s lapse, didn’t hold back. The two exchanged words, with Emmanwori and other players visibly upset that Woolen’s actions had put their Super Bowl hopes in jeopardy. Woolen later tried to downplay the confrontation, saying, “Wasn’t getting pressed. We brothers and we all chasing greatness we on the same mission.” But the tension was undeniable, and the incident quickly became a talking point across the NFL landscape.

Social media erupted with debate. Some fans and analysts blasted the officials for calling such a high-stakes penalty in the postseason, arguing that the threshold for taunting should be higher in games of this magnitude. ESPN’s Bill Barnwell suggested, “The threshold for referees to call a taunting penalty should be higher in the postseason, particularly in high-leverage situations.” Others, including former NFL head coach Tony Dungy and analyst Ross Tucker, placed the blame squarely on Woolen, calling his actions “unnecessary” and “costly.” As Tucker pointed out, “One official let Woolen taunt for a few moments but eventually pulled out the flag when the cornerback continued to jaw at the Rams’ sideline.”

Regardless of where the blame lay, the sequence was a momentum shifter. Instead of forcing the Rams to attempt a long field goal or punt, Seattle found itself clinging to a shrinking lead with the game—and a Super Bowl berth—hanging in the balance. The Seahawks offense, led by Darnold, struggled to regain its earlier rhythm. The Rams defense, energized by their reprieve, sacked Darnold for a nine-yard loss on the ensuing drive, forcing a punt. Stafford and the Rams then mounted a determined drive that chewed up over seven minutes of the fourth quarter clock, but Seattle’s defense held firm, denying Los Angeles any additional points as Stafford’s fourth-down pass fell incomplete in the end zone.

With time running down, Darnold and the Seahawks offense did just enough to keep the Rams at bay, leaving Stafford and company with only 25 seconds to mount a miracle from their own seven-yard line. The Rams’ final drive fizzled, and as the clock expired, Seattle’s sideline erupted in celebration—a mixture of relief and jubilation. The Seahawks had survived a late-game scare, and Tariq Woolen, whose penalty could have become the defining moment of the night, was spared the ignominy of costing his team a Super Bowl appearance.

Woolen’s penalty, and the ensuing drama, will no doubt be dissected for days to come. Will the NFL hand down additional discipline? Seattle’s head coach Mike Macdonald reportedly sent an authoritative message to his squad about discipline and focus, making it clear that such lapses can’t happen on the biggest stage. The Seahawks, as a team, will have to address the emotional swings that nearly derailed their championship bid.

Lost amid the controversy was Sam Darnold’s masterful performance. The former first-round pick, acquired by Seattle in a move that raised eyebrows around the league, delivered one of the best games of his career. He opened the scoring with a 51-yard bomb to Rashid Shaheed and added key touchdown passes to Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Jake Bobo, and Cooper Kupp. Running back Kenneth Walker chipped in with a short touchdown run, and the Seahawks defense, despite the penalties, made clutch plays when it mattered most.

For the Rams, Stafford’s resilience and the emergence of Puka Nacua as a big-play threat were not enough to overcome the deficit. Los Angeles will rue the missed opportunities and the inability to capitalize on Seattle’s mistakes down the stretch.

As the dust settles, the Seahawks look ahead to a Super Bowl showdown with the New England Patriots at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara on February 8, 2026. The ghosts of Super Bowl XLIX loom large, and Seattle will need every ounce of discipline and focus to avoid another near-miss. The NFC Championship Game proved that in the NFL, every play—and every penalty—can change a season’s destiny. Seahawks fans can breathe a sigh of relief, but the lesson is clear: in the playoffs, there’s no margin for error.