Julian Love Fires Back at Reporter, Reveals Real Reason for Cigars

Getty Seahawks safety Julian Love

The Seattle Seahawks beat the Arizona Cardinals in Week 18 but missed the playoffs when the Green Bay Packers won. Despite the solid final-game effort, it’s the Seahawks smoking cigars in the locker room after the game that everyone is talking about. On Monday, Seahawks’ Pro Bowl safety Julian Love explained the reason for the cigars and fired back at reporter Gregg Bell who shared the video of the celebration.

A Beat Reporter’s Video Started the Seahawks Cigar Controversy

After the Seahawks’ playoff elimination in Week 18, the cigar controversy started when The News Tribune’s Seahawks beat writer Gregg Bell tweeted a video of several defensive backs, including Julian Love, smoking cigars and posing for pictures in the locker room.

“Cigars—but not playoffs—in #Seahawks’ locker room after last-game rally win at Arizona,” Bell captioned the video.

This tweet tipped off a storm of controversy that led to fans as well as current and former Seahawks weighing in on the subject.

Veteran linebacker Bobby Wagner seemed a little annoyed in his post-game presser and blamed youth for the celebration. He also was clear he would not be joining his teammates in a cigar. Defensive back Quandre Diggs was a little more understanding, saying that the young players involved had a long, tough year and they deserve to blow off some steam.

However, Super Bowl-winning retired Seahawks punter Jon Ryan was not so understating. He tweeted that he was “shaking with anger,” “disappointed,” and that “The Seahawk way is a bit different these days.”

Julian Loves Says Seahawks’ Cigars Were for Birth of Baby

After the storm started, Love also took to social media to explain that, yes, they were celebratory cigars that he and his fellow defensive backs were smoking, but they weren’t celebrating anything that had to do with football.

And he did so while firing a shot directly at Gregg Bell.

“Insinuating that we’re celebrating not making playoffs is weak Gregg,” Love wrote. “These cigars were given to me to celebrate the birth of my son & I waited until the end of the season to share a moment with my guys.”

Love and his wife, Julia, welcomed a baby boy named Noah on the weekend before Christmas, according to Sports Illustrated. While it initially seemed like the Pro Bowl safety could miss the Seahawks’ Week 16 game against the Tennesse Titans on Dec. 24. However, Love got a separate flight from the team and played in the 20-17 Seattle win.

The new dad finished the game with 3 tackles and 1 pass defended.

Seattle’s Biggest Offseason Questions

The Seahawks’ locker room cigars controversy will eventually die down, and the reality of the offseason will set in.

On one hand, Pete Carroll and company did not make the playoffs this year, which is ultimately a failure for such a talented team. That said, this team is incredibly young, thanks to the Russell Wilson trade, so on the other hand, they are still ahead of schedule in many ways.

The biggest offseason questions for the Seahawks start with the defense. The unit finished 25th in points allowed this year, and that’s simply not a playoff-caliber unit. There are some good young pieces on that side of the ball, but the franchise needs to add to that while maybe talking Bobby Wagner into one more season and definitely re-signing Leonard Williams, so the second-round pick they gave up to get him is not a waste.

On offense, most of the pieces seem to be in place. The second biggest issue here is deciding what to do with the interior offensive line. Evan Brown, Phil Haynes, and Damian Lewis are all free agents this offseason.

Enough beating around the bush, though.

The biggest — and maybe only true critical — question is what to do at quarterback.

Geno Smith seems to have reached his ceiling, and a return to the playoffs may not be in the cards with him unless everything else is perfect around him. Drew Lock is a free agent, and while he had his moments, is he the long-term answer?

This is the Seahawks’ offseason they have to make their next quarterback move, and how they do that will decide whether they are smoking cigars in the locker room (for the right reasons) in 2025.