Bobby Wagner opens up on Seahawks departure after signing with Rams: 'I'll make sure they see me'

Wagner will face his former team twice a year

Bobby Wagner couldn't hide he'll be facing the Seattle Seahawks twice a year with the Los Angeles Rams. Wagner became a franchise icon in Seattle, arguably the greatest defensive player in franchise history and a sure-fire candidate to have his number retired. 

One of the reasons Wagner decided to choose the Rams after the Seahawks released him was the opportunity to play his former team twice a year, a chance he couldn't pass up. 

"Playing the Seahawks twice a year was the cherry on top. I'll make sure they see me every time we play them," Wagner said, via The Athletic. "They'll know where I'm at; I'll make sure, I'll tell them. It won't be a quiet game for me."

Wagner admitted he was blindsided by his release from Seattle, the place he called home for 10 years. Still at the top of his game, Wagner finished with 170 tackles, three quarterback hits, a sack, five passes defended, and a forced fumble in earning another Pro Bowl and All-Pro selection last season. Wagner has the most tackles in the NFL since being drafted in 2012 (1,383) and he's the only player in NFL history who has 1,300 tackles, 20 sacks, 10 interceptions, and 50 passes defended in his first 10 seasons. 

His legacy in Seattle includes a Super Bowl title, eight Pro Bowl selections, six All-Pro selections, and a selection on the 2010s All-Decade Team. There will be a bit of vengeance on Wagner's end when he faces Seattle for the first time. 

Per Wagner, the Seahawks didn't call and tell him he was being released -- which he took personally. 

"I'm not going to dwell on it. It's change; they've already moved on, (and) I've moved on. It is what it is at this point," Wagner said. "I just think that after 10 years, it could have been a simple conversation, even if they wanted to go in a different direction. I don't think me representing myself played any part on my end."