Tough to tell which Devon Witherspoon enjoyed more.
His two interceptions of Will Levis in the Seahawks’ second and final joint practice with the Tennessee Titans.
Or his postseason-level trash talking during it with his former Seattle teammates Jamal Adams and Quandre Diggs.
During one standout play in 11-on-11 scrimmaging Thursday, Witherspoon did both.
The Seahawks’ Pro Bowl cornerback — and already an All-Pro talker in just his second NFL year — stepped up from his inside nickel cornerback position on the first play of a 2-minute drill against Tennessee’s starting offense. He zoomed past the intended receiver and intercepted Levis’ pass.
As he ran down the Titans sideline on his return of the pick, Witherspoon was looking for Adams. Adams had been talking nonstop for two days during these practices. When Witherspoon found him standing along the sideline with teammates, he handed Adams the ball he had just intercepted.
With the play still going on, Witherspoon continued running down the sideline to the end zone, without the ball. Witherspoon waved at him and the Titans as he galloped for what would have been a touchdown — had he not given the ball to Adams.
“He was ducking me. He was hiding from me,” Witherspoon said following the 1-hour and 45-minute practice in 95-degree heat and 50% humidity. “He just talking trash.
“So, you know, I was coming to see my dawg.
“But yeah, I was looking for him, so I could get him the ball and show him that’s how you do it, for real. That’s how you really run this defense.
“That’s how you end the 2-minute.”
Devon Witherspoon after his starring performance with two interceptions in the second and final joint practice between his Seahawks and the Tennessee Titans in Nashville, Aug. 15, 2024.
Devon Witherspoon after his starring performance with two interceptions in the second and final joint practice between his Seahawks and the Tennessee Titans in Nashville, Aug. 15, 2024. Gregg Bell/The News Tribune
It was just part of Witherspoon’s outstanding day.
Trash talk at Jamal Adams, Quandre Diggs
While reserves were scrimmaging on each of two adjacent fields, Adams and Diggs were standing behind their Titans’ defense, along the back line of the end zone. Witherspoon and Seattle’s defensive backs were along the sideline of that end zone. They were supposed to be paying attention to their teammates on the other field.
They were paying attention to Adams and Diggs.
Witherspoon turned and yelled at Adams, who played four underwhelming seasons for the Seahawks until they and new coach Mike Macdonald cut Adams and Diggs in March: “Hey! Y’all in for a long season!
“Your offense is ass!”
Adams yelled back, and pointed.
“You is, too!” Adams said. “With San Fran.”
Yes, the 49ers remain the mighty division champions the Seahawks must topple in the NFC West in 2024.
“Come over and help your offense!” Witherspoon kept saying.
Diggs chimed in: “You better get to know Sam Howell. Geno (Smith) is going to get killed with y’all’s ass O-line!”
Diggs is wise. The Seahawks’ iffy, still-uncertain offensive line is the key to quarterback Geno Smith, new coordinator Ryan Grubb and Seattle’s season. It had yet another new starter on it Thursday: Rookie third-round pick Christian Haynes replaced Anthony Bradford as the starting right guard.
Jerrick Reed, the Seahawks’ second-year safety who played under Adams and Diggs last season, then joined the fray. He is injured and hasn’t practiced this training camp.
“Man,” Reed yelled at Adams, scoffing, “you ain’t even playin’?”
That was a reference to Adams being a second-team, part-time linebacker for Tennessee. The 28-year-old who struggled through knee pain last season after a surgery for a torn quadriceps that ruined his 2022 Seahawks season has mostly been out injured since he signed with the Titans last month.
“YOU ain’t even playin’!” Adams yelled back at Reed.
During the Seahawks offense’s 2-minute drill, right tackle George Fant jumped into a false-start penalty.
“Good (stuff), George!” Diggs yelled from the back of the Titans defense. “I see you, George!”
Witherspoon loved it. All of it.
“Oh yeah, you know how we do,” Witherspoon said after practice.
“Jamal, that’s my boy. That’s my dawg. So we can talk trash to each other and it’s nothing but love. So, that’s why me and him do that all the time.”
Diggs loved the back and forth. Back to normal, for him. He says he hasn’t gotten that level yet with the Titans, with whom he only recently signed yet is starting, at free safety.
“Man, if y’all’d been in our DB room last year (with the Seahawks), that’s small talk,” he said. “That’s just how we talk, you know what I mean?
“And, I miss those guys. I love those guys.”
Former Seahawks captain now Tennessee Titans safety Quandre Diggs (26) fields questions following the second joint NFL practice between the Seahawks and Titans at the Saint Thomas Sports Park in Nashville, Tenn., Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024. Denny Simmons / The Tennessean via USA Today Network USA TODAY NETWORK
He says he will forever love his Seahawks teammates, and the franchise for traded for him from Detroit in the middle of the 2019 season. Diggs, now 31, earned his first three Pro Bowl selections as a Seahawk. The team re-signed him to a three-year, $40 million contract in 2022.
He and Adams were the league’s most expensive safety pairing at the time. The Seahawks released them with years remaining on their contracts that totaled up to $110 million.
So now his trash talking is at Witherspoon, not with him.
“Y’all known ‘Spoon.’ You see how ‘Spoon’ get down. That’s just how he is,” Diggs said.
“I think that’s dope.
“That’s a brotherhood, for life.”
Former Seahawks captain Quandre Diggs (26), now a Tennessee Titans safety, stretches at Ascension Saint Thomas Sports Park in Nashville, Tenn., Wednesday, Aug. 14 2024. It was the first day of the Titans joint practice with the Seattle Seahawks.
He ran 20 yards from the middle of the field outside to jump an out route at the goal line from the slot by Titans wide receiver Calvin Ridley. Witherspoon cut in front of Ridley. Levis threw the pass with Witherspoon mirroring Ridley from the front. He ran the route for Ridley to the pylon, and easily batted it away at the goal line.
His Seahawks teammates roared at that play.
Seahawks Pro Bowl cornerback Devon Witherspoon (21) goes one on one against Titans wide receiver Kearis Jackson in a joint practice in Nashville, Tennessee, Aug. 14, 2024. Gregg Bell/The News Tribune
Macdonald has chided Witherspoon privately and publicly — the new coach said in the spring he asked Witherspoon how he became the NFL’s smartest player in only his second pro season. He was the fifth pick in the 2023 NFL draft, and an instant starter from day 1 of his first Seahawks spring minicamp.
Witherspoon’s personality lends itself to the joking.
“Well, that’s ‘Spoon,’” Macdonald said Thursday. “I know we do the joking thing back and forth, but we love him. He’s a great player and we expect great things out of him. For him to make plays on the ball like he did today, that’s what our team needs.
“He’s working his tail off. He’s very detail oriented. He does not make the same mistake twice.”
Wednesday, the Titans got him for multiple completions in the first joint practice Seattle had in 33 years.
Witherspoon competed Thursday with his Wednesday on his mind.
“I don’t like getting beat, and I had gotten beat a couple times yesterday, a couple times today,” he said.
“All in all, I just got to be better. Competition is always bringing the best out of you.”
