ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Together with his return to Seattle in his first regular-season sport with the Denver Broncos simply days away, quarterback Russell Wilson confirmed Thursday the Seahawks had truly tried to commerce him earlier than — in 2018 — and mentioned he would not imagine his expertise have diminished as he heads into his eleventh season.
The Broncos’ blockbuster commerce to amass Wilson in March — for 5 draft picks, together with two first-rounders and two second-rounders, in addition to three gamers — was one of many largest league-altering strikes of the offseason.
However Wilson confirmed Thursday, simply earlier than he took the observe subject, that it wasn’t the primary time the Seahawks had tried to commerce him in his time with the staff that included 9 Professional Bowl picks, two Tremendous Bowl begins and one Tremendous Bowl win. In an ESPN story printed this week on the Wilson-Seahawks soccer divorce, Seattle’s try and commerce Wilson earlier than the 2018 draft was detailed.
“Positively they tried to, a few instances, tried to see what was on the market,” Wilson mentioned. “It is a part of the enterprise, being an expert and every part else … I imagine in my skills, of who I’m, I really feel I am among the best on this planet.”
Based on a supply, Wilson heard whereas attending Tremendous Bowl LV in February of 2021 that Seattle beforehand had different conversations about buying and selling him along with their 2018 name to the Cleveland Browns. A Seahawks supply has mentioned that the 2018 name to the Browns was the one time they actively tried to commerce Wilson apart from after they did so to Denver in March.
Wilson, 33, additionally challenged criticisms, some nameless, that his expertise have diminished. He didn’t play a snap within the Broncos’ three preseason video games so Monday night time in Lumen Subject would be the first time anybody has seen Wilson function Denver’s offense in a sport.
“I do not fear about all that stuff, individuals can have opinions and ideas and concepts, everybody has their very own proper to suppose what they need to suppose,” Wilson mentioned. “I understand how the entire thing went, the way it transpired, simply the entire scenario.
“I believe yearly it’s important to show that [you’re one of the best] … You need your profession to be a mirrored image of being among the best on this planet, so I believe the primary 10 years has been a optimistic reflection, however there’s extra to do, much more to do.”
Wilson was requested what sort of reception he thought he would get from Seahawks’ followers within the stadium and mentioned that he would not play this sport with a chip on his shoulder.
“Seattle without end means the world to me,” Wilson mentioned. “I beloved it there, like I mentioned, I performed 10 years there, it was a tremendous expertise, I beloved each second of it.”
He instructed Seattle-area media Thursday that he expects a “rowdy” crowd at Lumen Subject on Monday night time.
“I do know they will be rowdy. I do know they will be excited. It is Monday Evening Soccer so it’s going to be a particular setting. Pay attention, I believe that I gave my coronary heart and soul every single day. I do know nothing much less. Hopefully it’s going to be optimistic, however on the identical time, on the finish of the day, I do know we have got a sport to play and every part else,” he mentioned.
He additionally instructed reporters in Seattle that he and Seahawks coach Pete Carroll talked “a number of totally different instances” between the top of final season and when he was traded.
“I hoped that it could all work out and we would be able to determine all the main points out. We weren’t capable of … so it is a type of issues. You have acquired to have the ability to transfer on with pleasure and simply say I nonetheless get to play this sport and now I get to be with the Denver Broncos, one other nice group,” he mentioned.
“To say that I get to play for the Seattle Seahawks for 10 years and hopefully the Denver Broncos for the remainder of my profession hopefully, we’ll see. That is a tremendous factor to say. So I am simply grateful. I am grateful for the entire expertise of all of it.”
ESPN’s Brady Henderson contributed to this report.
