Seahawks QB Russell Wilson brushes aside controversy, feels 'super'
RENTON, Wash. – Ciara was in the house, adding a few notches to the star power at a Seattle Seahawks practice this week while checking out her quarterbacking husband, Russell Wilson.
The award-winning singer and model sat a few feet away from Wilson as he chatted in a hallway after practice and reflected on, among other topics, the synergy between the two as they support each other’s high-profile careers.
“It’s very reciprocal,” Wilson told Paste BN Sports. “More than anything, it gives you great perspective. My dad would always say it was about the three P’s – a great purpose, perspective and always persevere.”
Wilson’s father, Harry, who played receiver at Dartmouth in the ‘70s, passed away in 2010 due to complications with diabetes. It is clear that his spirit lives on in his son.
“I don’t feel pressure,” Wilson said. “When my dad was on his deathbed, that was pressure.”
As Wilson spoke, Richard Sherman popped over to visit with Ciara. It was a warm, cordial exchange, laced with laughter, that went on for several minutes. It seemed rather genuine. And striking.
So much for some supposed internal friction between Wilson and players on the Seahawks’ potent defense, which includes Sherman, the all-pro cornerback who is one of the undeniable leaders of the unit. The controversial storyline, though, grew legs during an otherwise low-drama offseason.
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Wilson’s take? He doesn’t deny that the action can get a bit heated in practices for a team that makes a big deal out of “Competition Wednesday” but maintains that themes beyond that were overblown.
“You’ve got some of the most high-octane athletes in the world competing against each other,” Wilson said. “We also love each other at the same time. We play at the highest level, the toughest level. That’s how we prepare as a team. But we’re super close. There’s nothing to talk about, honestly.”
If any of the negativity bothers Wilson, he certainly doesn’t show it. It was the same thing a couple of years ago, when a report surfaced that anonymously quoted at least one teammate as contending that Wilson acted “too white.” He’s rather unflappable, though, in brushing such talk aside, which tells you a lot about the poise he brings to his job.
“I don’t pay attention to that stuff,” he said. “I ignore the noise. We know what we have here. I’m fortunate to have some of the best teammates in the world, great character guys who love the game. We’re a super tight team that’s been very successful for five years, and we don’t plan to stop now. I don’t think you get that way without being super close.”
Wilson – a spiritual man who insists that he wakes up every day and prays to express thankfulness -- uses the word “super” an awful lot. This underscores the positive vibe he posits, but also brings to mind the ultimate task.
The Seahawks destroyed the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII, as Wilson helped win a crown in just his second pro season. But the next year they blew it by inexplicably not calling Marshawn Lynch’s number, leading to Wilson’s goal line pick in the final seconds against the New England Patriots. The past two seasons ended when they were bounced in the divisional playoffs.
“Does it eat at me?” Wilson said, repeating the question. “No, not at all. If anything, you look forward to the next opportunity. It’s not easy to win a Super Bowl. If it were easy, you’d win it every year.”
To get back to that level, the Seahawks need to complement their defense with a more balanced, consistent offense. As has been the case for several years running, the offensive line is a big camp storyline with O-line coach Tom Cable again pressed to develop the unit.
Of course, with virtually all of the linemen returning, Wilson is “super confident” that the cohesion will flow. That would help establish a running game that added Eddie Lacy to complement Thomas Rawls, with the hope of fielding the type of consistent, power rushing game that existed during the since-departed Lynch’s best years. Last season, Seattle ranked 25th in the NFL in rushing.
“I wasn’t able to run at all last year,” Wilson said, pointing out the extenuating circumstance reflected with ankle and knee injuries. “That’s 500 yards in itself.”
Wilson, who rushed for a career-low 259 yards in 2016, never missed a start last season but was pressed to push through the most physically-taxing year of his life. He’s fresh and healthy now, but last year provided another layer of perspective. It was so challenging that for two months, a therapist lived at their house to administer round-the-clock treatment.
“It was just about doing everything I could, staying up super late at night, just rehabbing, preparing, so I could go out there and play,” he said. “But it wasn’t just me. It was a lot of other guys, too, playing banged up and hurt. We pulled together.”
Pulling together. That’s the idea, which Ciara’s hubby seems so eager to promote.
Follow NFL columnist Jarrett Bell on Twitter @JarrettBell