Bobby Wagner long thought his return to the Seattle Seahawks would be under different circumstances. 

Last March, when the nine-time All-Pro was released from the franchise, Wagner would have theorized that returning to Seattle would be a trip down memory lane. But after the Seahawks signed him to a one-year $7 million contract, Wagner gets to wear the uniform that defined much of his career again. 

It's a move that Wagner wanted to happen. He wanted one last ride for the franchise that turned him into a made man. 

“It was surreal,’’ Wagner said to Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times in a Sunday afternoon story. “Because the last time I walked out, it was like packing up my stuff. And you’ve watched guys do that. I’ve watched guys do that for a long time and you never really anticipate me being one of those guys. I thought I was just going to be one of those that whenever I was done, I was going to be done playing football.

“So, yeah, that last time when I cleaned my locker out and got my stuff I wasn’t sure when I was going to walk back into that building (again). And so it was like a surreal moment to be able to come back into that building not just as a retired player but as somebody who still feels like he has a lot to offer and that the team is going to lean on and count on to help us win.’’

Bringing Wagner wasn't merely a move for good PR for the Seahawks. It was a decision the franchise needed to make.

The team desperately needed to fill a void on defense. Jordyn Brooks' torn ACL took him out of the picture. And the Rams, needing to retool after a disappointing 2022 season that saw them win five games, let Wagner go. It was seemingly fate after that. 

As for the amount of money, Wagner sought? That wasn't a concern. The only thing on his mind was coming home. 

“I’ve made a lot of money over my career,’’ Wagner said in The Seattle Times article. “And so I think I’m at the point where I just want to go where I’m happy, and so I was just really pulling for this to work out.’’

There are clearly no hard feelings. And if there were, Wagner has put that pain away. 

Wagner still has juice left in the tank. In 2022 he played in all 17 games, not missing a start. He played 99 percent of the available snaps. He was named to a second-team All-Pro, and he was also named the second-best linebacker, according to Pro Football Focus. 

This isn't a ride into the sunset feel-good story. Wagner is returning to Seattle to win. And despite what the NFL says about aging players, he still has the skill to help lift Seattle's defense over the top.