In his remarks, Wagner highlighted his late mother, Phenia Mae, and introduced the Phenia Mae Fund, which focuses on stroke education and supporting families during recovery. The fund has broadened its mission to include assistance for historically Black colleges and universities.
Wagner’s on-field résumé is equally storied: 11-time All-Pro, 10-time Pro Bowler, and a career with 100-plus tackles in every season of his 14-year career. He recorded 162 tackles in 2025, making him just the third player in NFL history to reach 2,000 career tackles and the 15th to exceed 1,000 solo tackles; London Fletcher (2,039) and Ray Lewis (2,059) are the other two players over 2,000.
This season, Wagner played on a one-year, $9 million contract, and market projections suggest he could command roughly a one-year deal around $7.7 million if he explores free agency.
From a legacy perspective, Wagner sits at a Pro Football Hall of Fame Monitor score of 114.10, No. 7 all-time among inside linebackers, above the typical Hall standard of 106.0. Luke Kuechly sits ahead of him at the position, and Kuechly was announced as a 2026 Hall of Fame inductee.
As Wagner contemplates the next steps in his career, he emphasized staying present, underscoring that his focus continues to be on impact off the field and the pursuit of continued excellence on the field. Regardless of future team status, his community work and elite play have cemented his place among the game’s most impactful players.
