Denver Broncos fans are in their feelings for some odd reason that has nothing to do with them. The Sports Illustrated site for the Broncos released an article about the Seattle Seahawks giving the number three jersey worn by Russell Wilson to another player, Artie Burns.
They say that the Hawks and their fans must like kicking a guy while he is down. This could not be further from the truth, and it blows my mind that giving away a number is a sign of kicking someone while they are down.
Have we so quickly forgotten that Wilson wanted out of Seattle? Have we so quickly forgotten that when the going got tough in Seattle, the franchise’s face voiced through his agent that he didn’t want to play here?
I think it’s important that we take a trip down memory lane to remind us of this. Here is an article from KING 5’s Paul Silvi, who pretty much lays it all out for us:
“So, before you go slamming the Seahawks, they actually did their quarterback a solid. Sure, they could have kept him at the top of their payroll for two more seasons, but why? If his heart isn’t in it anymore in this town, he should seek a fresh start somewhere else.
Let’s face it, Wilson wants a new contract after next season, and that number will start at $50 million a season, courtesy of Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers re-setting the bar with his new four-year, $200 million contract. That’s the price for a top NFL quarterback. I just don’t think the Seahawks are interested in writing that check. Wilson is an excellent quarterback. But when you peel away the millions and the mansion, he’s nothing but a disgruntled employee.
A little harsh, yes, but true. For two seasons now, he’s wanted out of Seattle. Do you really want to go through a third season waiting and wondering if the team is doing all it can to please its star quarterback, only to get to the end of that season when, for a third-straight year, we all get to hear about the newest “top four teams” he’d like to play for?”
Spot on.
Do you know who wasn’t one of those four teams? The Seahawks. Wilson wanted out of Seattle, and he got that wish last year, and just because it worked out well for Seattle doesn’t mean we have to always lean back on it.
Had the Broncos won the Super Bowl last year, and Wilson won an MVP trophy, would the fans in Denver be complaining about this? Absolutely not. It is not Seattle’s fault that Wilson was bad and the Broncos were atrocious.
The Hawks did the right thing by not allowing a player to wear number three during the first year away from the team, but at a certain point, you have to move on, and that is precisely what Seattle is doing.
I am sure that one day down the line, Russell Wilson will have a triumphant return home. There will be a trophy celebration, a jersey retirement, and a Ring of Honor and Hawks Hall of Fame ceremony for the greatest quarterback in the franchise’s history.
But he is still in the league. He is actively trying to be better than the Hawks, as he should be. So no one should act like this is some sinful act because Seattle is doing what they have to: they are moving on and creating a new era. It’s something the current guys on the roster deserve, and it’s something the fans must have if they aim to keep interested in this team that has an exciting future without Russell Wilson at the helm.
Wilson didn’t get turned away at the doors, released, or be blindsided. He asked to be traded. And if anything, the Seahawks did the nicest thing possible: they obliged. They traded away their identity, star, and frontman because he didn’t want to be a Seattle Seahawk anymore. In that situation, the player will never come out the other side unscathed. I would say if the worst thing that has happened is that the Hawks gave away number three a year after it ended, that’s pretty tame.
