Football

Seattle Seahawks safety Quandre Diggs gives glory to God after history-making interception

By Kevin Mercer Nov 1, 2021
Seattle Seahawks safety Quandre Diggs after his interception, Oct. 31, 2021. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

History was made in the second quarter of Sunday’s game between the Jacksonville Jaguars and Seattle Seahawks, when Jaguars quarterback and this year’s No. 1 overall pick Trevor Lawrence launched a pass downfield, only to be intercepted by Seahawks safety Quandre Diggs.

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It was Diggs’ third interception through only eight games so far in 2021, making him the only player in the NFL to have at least three interceptions in each of the past five seasons. He’s picked off 17 passes overall in those five seasons.

Diggs’ interception resulted in a subsequent scoring drive by Seattle’s offense and a 14-0 lead that the Seahawks would never relinquish on their way to a 31-7 victory. Led by Diggs, Seattle’s defense held the Jaguars to 82 yards on the ground and 238 yards through the air, and the Seahawks were pitching a shutout until the fourth quarter. Their impressive defensive performance came at a good time, as Seattle is giving up the third-most yards per game (401.5) in the NFL.

After the game, Diggs gave glory to God after being asked about his individual accomplishment during his postgame press conference.

“We have a great media team and they piqued my interest two weeks ago when they told me [about the record],” Diggs said. “For me, it’s a great accomplishment. Something that I wanted to get before getting into the bye week so I can go into this week and chill, relax and hang out with my daughter. … It’s a blessing, give all glory to God as always and it’s dope that I can put on for my family.”

Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll also weighed in on Diggs when informed of his interception streak.

“Some guys when they say stuff everybody listens; [Diggs is] one of those guys,” Carroll said. “People respect him because of who he is and how he does what he does and how he works his business and all. For him to have success like that is great. He deserves every bit of it.”

Diggs, 28, is in his seventh season in the NFL after being drafted in the sixth round by the Detroit Lions out of the University of Texas in 2015. However, he’s in only his second full season with Seattle after being traded from Detroit mid-season in 2019.

He was a captain in Detroit and had recently signed a contract extension with the team, so he wasn’t expecting to be traded. But he said he viewed the trade as an opportunity rather than a setback.

“It was surprising,” Diggs told ESPN.com in October 2019, shortly after the trade. “Super excited, blessed for the opportunity. At the end of the day, God has a plan for me and this is His plan. … I’m [in Seattle] now. I’m excited. I’m going to miss my guys in Detroit but I’ve got new relationships that I’ve got to build here.”

Diggs finished the 2019 season strong, with all three of his interceptions that year coming after the trade. He had five interceptions, 10 pass deflections and 64 combined tackles a year ago, a performance good enough to be named to the 2020 Pro Bowl. Now, as he seeks to build on an already-impressive start to the 2021 season, Diggs is being asked about whether the Seahawks will extend his contract, which expires at the end of the season.

“We’ll see. Only God knows,” Diggs told Greg Bell of the Tacoma News Tribune. “They know how I feel about this place.”

Diggs lists “Faith, Family, Football” in his Twitter bio and has been known to tweet about God.

He learned to trust in God growing up in the small town of Angleton, Texas, living with his grandmother until he was in first grade and serving at church with her every Sunday. His mother was a high school basketball star and his brother, Quentin Jammer, played cornerback in the NFL from 2002 to 2013. Now, Diggs is seizing his opportunity to make a positive impact on the Angleton community.

“I know this platform is bigger than football and I know the platform that I have to set and I know I have to be a great person each and every day,” he said in a video with the Lions from 2019. “My faith is big. Each night, I try to share Scripture from my readings that I do every night, and I just want to put it on my platform so people can see, that no matter what, that I know that me getting to this level was all God.”

He continued later, “I always have God first in my life, and He’s humbled me a lot. … God has been a big part of what I’ve done and everything I’ll continue to do.”

Hear him tell his full story:

Diggs and the Seahawks (3-5) are now on their bye week. The next time they take the field will be Nov. 14 against the 7-1 Packers at legendary Lambeau Field in Green Bay. The game is scheduled for 4:25 p.m. ET.

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