Seattle Seahawks: Takin’ It Out And Choppin’ It Up
Russell Wilson and the Broncos are heading to Lumen Field this Monday night. How should Seattle Seahawks fans feel about the return of Russ?
So it seems the Russell Wilson Grievance Tour is now in full effect, and I, for one, am over it. The NFL’s answer to A-Rod somehow is always the aggrieved party. The more information that comes out, the more obvious it is that moving Wilson was something he forced on the Seattle Seahawks. There’s a Movielife song that perfectly illustrates what happened between Wilson and Seattle.
“I understand that you couldn’t take it, couldn’t take it anymore
I understand that you had your problems
Maybe more than I saw
But when you got on a plane that day
You lost all your privileges with me
‘Cause I heard so many things
Thought we parted, thought we parted peacefully”
Wilson felt stifled and limited in Seattle, and that’s understandable. When you see other guys throwing for 5,000 yards and winning MVPs, it makes sense to think you could do the same. The only problem was that approach ignored everything that was fundamental to the Seattle Seahawks’ success in his early years.
Their offensive philosophy was limiting turnovers, running the ball, and mixing in the occasional deep strike. That was the most effective version of both the team and Wilson.
In 2020, we had the Let Russ Cook run that made him an early MVP front-runner. The offense was explosive, and Wilson was making a case that he was right about opening things up.
RW3 then had the worst run of turnovers of his career. The offense sputtered, and the team started losing. Pete Carroll immediately dialed the passing game back down, and the downward trend leveled off. Wilson was not happy about it, and his relationship with the Seattle Seahawks organization deteriorated.
“I appreciate all the work that, all the work that you put in
And we care so much about you and hope that all your problems end
But all the foolish things you said
Do you know, we never said a thing
We held it in, so go take your medicine”
Russell Wilson said he wanted to join the Broncos so he wouldn't have to carry a team on his shoulders. But that's exactly what he asked for in Seattle; he was already on a team that ran the ball well and played aggressive defense, but he wanted to be the face of the franchise.
— Seahawk Nerd (@SeahawkNerd) August 31, 2022
The Bitter End
Two years of leaks, lists of teams he’d accept a trade to, and passive-aggressive shots at teammates and the organization made the situation untenable. Wilson’s “I’m a great guy” shtick looked pretty fake, as he was clearly forcing his way out of Seattle.
Fans would have probably looked the other way, remembered the Super Bowl win, and wished him well if he would have left things alone. Unfortunately, Russ felt the need to let the world know how the Seattle Seahawks didn’t give him the respect he deserved.
Why would Seattle think the 33-year-old Wilson was on the downslope? He’s a quarterback who isn’t tall enough to ride some roller coasters, has declining athleticism, and had created a divide between himself and the rest of the team.
As his scrambling magic dissipated, his height became more of a factor. Wilson’s passes were almost exclusively moonballs or out towards the boundaries. The middle of the field was a no-fly zone. As the world’s leading D.K. Metcalf truther, I’ve killed him for only being able to run go routes, but maybe the lack of slants and crosses was by design. Designed to accommodate the team’s poor, forlorn quarterback.
One tip of the Cap, but one only
So when the Broncos arrive Monday night and Russ runs onto the field shouting “Let’s Ride!” (His newest trademarked phrase, replacing Go Hawks… nauseating), he deserves an ovation for everything he did in Seattle. From that moment on, he should be booed for every plastic, rehearsed, and fake thing he’s done over the last two years to taint that legacy.
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How do you feel about the way Russell Wilson has bad-mouthed the Seattle Seahawks? Let us know in the comments section below.