For the first time since the Super Bowl, Seahawks WR Doug Baldwin publicly apologized Monday night for the vulgar gesture that drew a 15-yard personal foul penalty and criticism from some fans and media.

“I do regret the fact that it cost my team 15 yards and to the fans, ultimately I apologize to anybody I offended in any way,” said Baldwin on the 710 ESPN Seattle radio show, The Barber Shop.  “It wasn’t about that. I just think it was a competitive situation. So to all the 12s, all the fans, that’s not what it’s about. So I apologize to anyone if I offended you.”

Baldwin scored a touchdown in the third quarter on a three-yard pass reception — his only catch of the game — and then mimed squatting on a toilet in the end zone. Until Monday, he refused to disclose the target of the gesture, but allowed as to how it was New England’s All-Pro CB Darrelle Revis.

“In that moment it was just a reaction,” Baldwin said. “So obviously if I could go back, I would take it back.

“I spent a lot of time those two weeks prior to getting ready for that game just focused on my individual  match-up with him. I put a lot into it and in that moment, I guess you could say it was just kind of a built-up frustration I was letting out in that sequence between him and I. Obviously, there was competitive stuff going on in that game and in that moment I just let out what I felt personally.”

Baldwin added he was frustrated about not getting more balls in his direction, saying the matchup against Revis was “a measurement for myself to go up against one of the best players in the league.”

Baldwin said he thought some of the anger directed at him was misplaced because of the loss: “(Fans) want to find something to kind of latch on to, and that’s understandable. It’s human nature. But personally I didn’t mean anything by it. ”

The day after the loss in the locker room at the team’s practice facility, Baldwin wasn’t ready to apologize, saying he had no regrets.

“Nah,  just out there having fun — there’s no explanation,” he said. “I can get criticized. That’s fine; everyone has an opinion. In the moment, just having fun.

“The only people I have to apologize to are my teammates and coaches. But they know. They didn’t say anything. Not even an issue or a worry. We lost the game . . . there’s so many other things to be concerned with . . (than) something stupid like that.”