Bobby Wagner’s sense of humor is next to none.
The legendary former Seattle Seahawks linebacker was chosen as the commencement speaker during Utah State’s undergraduate ceremony last month. During his speech, Wagner took a moment to lighten the mood by drawing attention to his new honorary doctorate.
“If you didn’t know, my name is now Dr. Bobby Wagner,” Wagner joked during his speech (via Seattle Times). “And to any family members here, you need to update my name in your phone. It’s ‘Dr.’ now. I will
no longer respond to ‘Bobby.’ It’s Dr. only.”
Wagner played four seasons for the Aggies’ football team, appearing in 48 games from 2008 to 2011 before being drafted by the Seahawks in the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft. After finishing second in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting that season, Wagner garnered eight consecutive Pro Bowl nominations and six first-team All-Pro selections between 2014 and 2021.
Wagner briefly departed for the division rival Los Angeles Rams in 2022, but returned to Seattle for 2023, earning his ninth of 10 career Pro Bowls back in the Emerald City. He has since spent the last two years with the Washington Commanders, where he earned Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year honors this past season. At the moment, he’s an unsigned free agent.
It’s always fun to see athletes stay connected with their alma maters, and it’s even cooler when they earn honorary doctorates. Dr. Bobby Wagner has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?
