Russell Wilson's frustrations with the Seattle Seahawks uncharacteristically boiled over earlier this month. But apparently his dismay runs so deep that his representatives have approached the team about at least four potential NFL trade destinations, according to The Athletic.
Wilson just completed the first season of a four-year, $140 million extension that briefly made him the league's highest-paid player, based on average annual compensation, before his pact was eclipsed by Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson. Wilson's contract also contains a full no-trade clause, meaning the Seahawks, who drafted him in the third round in 2012, can't deal him anywhere without his approval.
Apparently, Wilson's team has already pinpointed the Las Vegas Raiders, Miami Dolphins, New Orleans Saints and New York Jets as teams the seven-time Pro Bowler would be willing to join if the football waters off Puget Sound can't be calmed. ESPN later reported, via Wilson's agent, that his preference is to remain with the Seahawks, but he'd only consider being dealt to the Saints, Raiders, Dallas Cowboys or Chicago Bears.
Earlier this month, after Wilson was awarded the NFL's prestigious Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award the night before Super Bowl 55, he broke from his typically sunny disposition in relation to Seattle. Wilson revealed he was "frustrated I’m getting hit too much" after getting sacked 394 times in his career.
“I want to be able to be involved because at the end of the day, it’s your legacy, it’s your team’s legacy, it’s the guys you get to go into the huddle with and at the end of the day, those guys you’ve got to trust,” he also told "The Dan Patrick Show" after the Super Bowl.
“I think if you ask guys like Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, you know, even Tom (Brady), you know, I think that you saw this year how much he was involved in the process – I think that’s something that is important to me.”
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Wilson, 32, has never experienced a losing season with the Seahawks and has only missed the playoffs once in his nine seasons. He was part of the 2013 squad that brought Seattle its only Super Bowl title to date, but the 'Hawks haven't advanced beyond the divisional round since Wilson's infamous interception cost the team a shot to repeat by winning Super Bowl 49 to cap the 2014 campaign.
The Athletic also details Wilson's growing issues with longtime Seattle coach Pete Carroll and his general unwillingness to let Wilson take control of the offense, i.e., "let Russ cook."
Wilson appeared to be on track to win his first MVP award after a blistering start to the 2020 season. But he struggled down the stretch and threw a pick-six in the NFC West champs' wild-card loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
Wilson has still never received a single MVP vote during his career.
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