Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson was at the front-and-center of trade rumors for a large portion of the NFL offseason, especially after he publicly voiced his frustrations with the team. On Thursday he offered a new message for the media and fans.
Wilson spoke to reporters on Thursday at Seahawks OTAs and he addressed the reports that he wanted to leave Seattle, and he even reportedly provided the team a list of destinations where he’d like to be traded to, including the Chicago Bears, New Orleans Saints, Las Vegas Raiders, and Dallas Cowboys.
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On Thursday, Wilson said that he never requested a trade and he loves Seattle. He added that everything got “a little bit blown out of proportion.”
“I love playing here,” Wilson said. “I’ve had a great career here so far. I’ve always wanted to play here for my whole career, obviously. I think there were some unfortunate frustrations after the season. Obviously, you want to win it all and do it all, and do everything you can. I think everybody on our team does. We all want to win it.
“In terms of the trade talks, I think anytime you play professional sports, there’s always a possibility of something happening, right? I think that’s just the reality,” Wilson continued. “I think that there’s a lot of teams out there that people were saying that I was going to, or would go, that I requested a trade. I did not request a trade. I’ve always wanted to play here.
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“The reality is I think calls were getting thrown around and this and that, and I mean that’s just a reality. But I think at the end of the day the real reality is I’m here and I’m here to win. I’m here to win it all.”
In early February, Wilson aired out some dirty laundry during a video conference with reporters when he complained about the lack of protection on the field, and he stressed that the team needs to get better.
“I love playing for the [Seahawks], I’ve loved it for years and lay it on the line every game and I’m dedicated to that,” Wilson told reporters. “The reality is that I think it’s frustrating being there and watching the game and sitting there. Part of it, like any player, you never want to get hit, that’s the reality of playing this position, ask any quarterback who wants to play this game. At the same time, it’s part of the job.”
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Wilson was asked if his frustration was with the franchise, to which he replied: “I’m frustrated with getting hit too much.”
Wilson has been sacked at least 40 times in each of his last eight seasons.
Wilson also made an appearance on the syndicated “The Dan Patrick Show” and he said that he hoped to have more of an “involved” role going forward, and he confirmed that Seattle “definitely” got calls from other teams seeing if he’s available for trade.
“I want to be involved. At the end of the day, it’s your legacy, your team’s legacy… It helps to be involved more. That dialogue should happen more often.”
After publicly speaking out to reporters on Thursday, it’s clear now that Wilson and the Seahawks have put the drama behind them.
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Last season, Wilson threw for 4,212 passing yards and 40 touchdowns during the regular season, and he led the Seahawks to a 12-4 record and a first-place finish in the always-competitive NFC West.
However, in their wild-card round matchup against the Los Angeles Rams, Wilson only completed 11 of 27 passes for 174 yards with two touchdowns and one interception in Seattle’s disappointing 30-20 loss to its rival.
Wilson will look to lead Seattle to another NFC West title in 2021 and have an opportunity to get back to the Super Bowl.
Fox News’ Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.