On Thursday, Jan. 22 - the second day of the Seahawks' preparation for Super Bowl XLIX against the New England Patriots, Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett and linebacker Bobby Wagner met with the media in the auditorium at Renton's Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Below, check out six things we learned from Bennett and Wagner's Thursday press conferences:
Michael Bennett
1. The Bike He Rode After The NFC Championship Will Be Auctioned Off For Charity
Following the Seahawks' conference title win over the Green Bay Packers this past Sunday, Bennett acquired a bicycle from a member of the Seattle Police Department (SPD) who was working security at field-level. He took a victory lap around the CenturyLink Field turf, describing it as the "best bike ride" he's ever had.
"I took it from the cop and just rode it around the stadium," Bennett said in the locker room following his team's 28-22 overtime win against Green Bay. "I bike all the time. I'm a real biker. I've got three bikes at my house, so I was just having fun."
On Thursday, asked if he still had the bike in his possession, Bennett revealed SPD ended up giving it away for a good cause.
"Actually, they donated the bike to my foundation," Bennett said. "So we're going to auction it off at my charity event in May."
Bennett's charity, OCEAN, aims to fight obesity through community, education, activity, and nutrition.
2. He Thinks Kevin Williams Is A Legend
Defensive tackle Kevin Williams, a 12-year NFL veteran but first-year Seahawk, is finally headed to his first Super Bowl.
"I told him, it's about time he stopped playing for the losing team and started playing for the winning team," Bennett said with a smile. "It's good for Kevin to get a chance to be in this situation."
Bennett was asked what it's been like to play alongside the six-time Pro Bowler and five-time All-Pro selection Williams, whose role significantly increased after fellow D-lineman Brandon Mebane was moved to injured reserve in early November.
"It's not very often you get to play with a legend like Kevin," said Bennett. "I'm just getting the chance to get to play with somebody as great as him. He had to change his position for us. That's something that when you come here you have to be able to do - play multiple positions - and Kevin's done a great job of that."
For the Seahawks, Williams has played almost everywhere along the D-line, but his most-notable contribution has come at the nose tackle spot - the position Mebane anchored the past eight seasons.
"Mebane's the best nose in the game," said Bennett. "That's hard for him to have to come in and play at the level that Mebane's been playing at for the last couple years, but Kevin's done a great job of doing that. The rushing yardage has been the same since Mebane's left and we've still been playing a great run defense."
3. He Thinks The NFC Championship Was The Most Amazing Moment This Season
We're only four days removed from the Seahawks' NFC title win over the Packers, but when you finish a game in the fashion Seattle did, it's bound to rank as one of the best moments of the year.
That's what Bennett said on Wednesday when asked to share what he thought was the most amazing moment of the team's season so far.
"Most amazing moment?" Bennett repeated. "Beating Aaron Rodgers in the NFC Championship and beating a great team like the Packers and getting a chance to play against those guys and win the game the way we did."
The focus then shifted to Super Bowl XLIX against New England, when Bennett was asked to describe the best part of next week's Super Bowl festivities.
"The national anthem - they have famous people singing, so it's always cool, and I think Katy Perry's going to be at halftime, and Lenny Kravitz, so it's going to be fun," Bennett joked before adding, "No, the best part is just getting a chance to go after Tom Brady and play a good game and seeing how the game's going to unfold. Getting a chance to see Marshawn [Lynch] rush the ball the way he's capable of doing. That's the funnest part."
Bobby Wagner
1. He Remembers Tom Brady Talking Trash In 2012, But Everybody Talks Trash
Wagner was asked what he remembers most from the Seahawks' 24-23 regular-season win over the Patriots two years ago, quickly recalling cornerback Richard Sherman's "You Mad Bro?" Twitter meme.
"Of course I remember Sherm," Wagner said with a laugh. "I remember that. And I think the last play of the game they went for it on fourth down and didn't make it, and the excitement of winning."
That win came in Wagner's rookie year. He grew up watching Brady and said getting the best of the future Hall of Fame quarterback at that point was special.
"I watched Tom Brady before I got to the League and to beat him at your home stadium was kind of fun," Wagner said.
Like Sherman, the Seahawks middle linebacker admitted he overheard Brady dishing out insults during the game. But Wagner acknowledged that type of behavior is an NFL norm.
"He was talking some trash, but I mean everybody talks trash," said Wagner. "It's a fun game. It's all within the lines, everybody's talking a little smack. It's part of the game."
But does Brady talk more than the rest of the players at his position?
"Nah," said Wagner. "I've had some quarterbacks talk a lot of trash."
2. He Would Describe Kam Chancellor As "Anything That Eats Mammals"
On Wednesday, Sherman likened Chancellor to a lion backing up a pack of wild dogs.
Wagner took Sherman's animal-kingdom comparison a step further on Thursday when asked how he would describe the hard-hitting strong safety to his college teammates.
"Animal, beast, anything that eats mammals," said Wagner. "Something along those lines."
3. He Likes Chess
The Patriots have won games this season by putting a heavy emphasis on the run. Take last week's 45-7 AFC title rout of the Indianapolis Colts for example, when running back LeGarrette Blount racked up 148 yards and three touchdowns on 30 carries.
But the threat to throw is always present with a quarterback like Brady under center, and Wagner was asked to explain the keys to playing pass defense against a signal caller of Brady's caliber.
"I think it's being patient and being disciplined because they're going to throw a lot of stuff in your face and if you jump the stuff in your face they're going to throw it behind you," said Wagner. "I think that's the key. You have to be really, really focused especially with a guy like Tom [Brady]. He's going to look you off, he's going to try to get you to bite on the deep stuff and throw the short one.
"It's a chess game," he added. "But I like chess."
