Since arriving in Seattle last fall in a midseason trade, Ernest Jones IV has established himself as a leader of the Seahawks defense and as one of the best inside linebackers in the league.

And while Jones' physical gifts, intelligence, instincts and work ethic are big factors in his success, he acknowledges that another less obvious factor in standout play since joining the Seahawks is the one season he spent playing alongside an all-time great in Los Angeles.

In 2022, Jones' second season in the NFL, the Rams signed veteran linebacker Bobby Wagner, who had spent the previous 10 seasons building a Hall of Fame resume in Seattle. Both players have since left L.A., with Jones getting traded first to Tennessee last year, then to Seattle midway through the season, and with Wagner signing b

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