Russell Wilson came to Pittsburgh ready to reinvigorate his career, prove he is still a leader and an elite QB. Wilson hasn’t taken a snap in a game, and he’s already being compared to former Steelers great turned social media troll Antonio Brown.
Before you jump to conclusions, Mark Kaboly of The Athletic, was referring to Wilson’s work ethic when he said it rivals that of the mercurial former Steelers wideout, who walked off the field as a player for the Tampa Bay Bucs in the middle of a game against the Jets for the last time in his NFL career.
Russell Wilson Has A Sick Worth Ethic Like Prime Antonio Brown
Wilson never displayed that kind of quit, no matter how bad things got in Denver, but behind the whispers and based on some comments by his former Seahawks teammates, his reputation as a team player took a hit. People questioned how hungry the Super Bowl champion still was.
So far he reportedly left quite an impression on his new team.
“One team source said the Steelers haven’t seen somebody work as hard as Wilson at his craft since the early days of Antonio Brown, who was notorious for the effort he put into his game to become the best wide receiver in the league for a span of more than five years,” Kaboly wrote.
As far as the rumors that Russ was in his own world, did his own thing and didn’t indulge in team camaraderie off the field, Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth recently shot down that accusation when he praised Wilson for organizing an offseason workout in San Diego.
Freiermuth, wide receivers Calvin Austin III and Van Jefferson attended the workout.
“That was big time,” Freiermuth told Teresa Varley of Steelers.com. “He invited us to San Diego and a couple of us went there and got to work out and run routes and get to know each other. That’s big. The relationship on the field is big but building that off field is a big thing. It’s that trust you can bring over to the football field.”
Russell Wilson Is Already Showing Leadership and Team Comradery
Wilson also sat next to Steelers offensive lineman Spencer Anderson, a seventh-round pick out of Maryland in 2023 at the Penguins game last month, in what appeared to be a husband and wives date, with Ciara in attendance.
Wilson seems to be happier than he’s been in years and that interview that he did on Brandon Marshall’s “I Am Athlete” podcast shortly after signing with Mike Tomlin and the Steelers, doesn’t seem like lip service after hearing how he has handled his business this offseason.
Wilson wants to win two more Super Bowls, and he has a burning passion to hoist the Lombardi Trophy again. That’s always the objective in Pittsburgh but they haven’t won since 2009.
Wilson was able to leave Denver accountable for his $38 million salary while signing a “team friendly” veteran minimum of $1.21 million. With the addition of Justin Fields, the two-time Super Bowl quarterback can also serve as a mentor for the talented young QB who had an underwhelming career in Chicago.
Russell Wilson Already Regaining His Reputation
It’s amazing how a change of scenery can change the narrative. In Dever, there were a lot of guys, including head coach Sean Payton who tried to throw their failures on the back of Wilson and ride these unfounded narratives while his reputation took the hit.
Wilson endured the benching and mistreatment in Denver and Steeltown seems to be a much better fit. He’s already expressed his affections for Tomlin, who is a winner and also respects his players and develops strong relationships with his quarterbacks.
Rumors about a lack of leadership has also been dismissed. Maybe this is the season we see the rebirth of “Let Russ Cook.” It’s also good that Antonio Brown still has aspects of his illustrious and tumultuous Steelers career that can be looked back upon with respect.
