Bye Bye Birdie: The Meaning Behind Russell Wilson’s Twitter scrub
a Quarterback Conundrum
Weeks after Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray scrubbed his social media accounts in an act of frustration with the organization, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson followed suit, getting rid of the team in his Twitter bio. While it seems as though Kyler and the Cardinals have made up, it is strange to see a loyal team player like Wilson effectively erase the organization that he has been a part of since day one. In an offseason where many quarterbacks are looking for big contracts, Wilson is the biggest name on the market next to Aaron Rodgers, who is looking to become the highest paid player in the league. Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr wants a new deal to prove he is a top-10 quarterback while Matt Ryan is making life hard for the Falcons with his contract becoming the worst cap hit in NFL history. Jimmy Garoppolo’s future in San Francisco is uncertain amid concerns about the readiness of Trey Lance and Carson Wentz could be left without a job since the Colts are not sold on him being the franchise quarterback. Among all these storylines, Wilson’s is still the most intriguing since the Seahawks are headed for a full-blown rebuild and he is not a free agent until 2024.
In Seattle, it may be time to move on and begin an early overhaul. The team was heavily injured throughout the 2021-22 campaign, finished dead last in the NFC West with a 7-10 record, and watched all three of their division rivals make the playoffs, with the Los Angeles Rams winning the Super Bowl. It is clear that all of this frustrated Wilson, as he also dealt with a finger injury that sidelined him for three weeks in the middle of the season. Earlier today, he changed his Twitter profile picture from him in a Seahawks jersey to a younger photo of him during his prep school years in his home state of Virginia. It is apparent that a change of scenery is needed for both parties involved and the burning question is where Wilson will wind up.
While he might not be strongly linked to Seattle as of now, he could find a potential home at “The Linc” with the Philadelphia Eagles. As the offseason and free agency period begins to heat up, many sports analysts and outlets have teased the possibility of the 9-time pro bowler and Super Bowl champion becoming the leading man in the city of brotherly love. FOX Sports analyst and radio host Colin Cowherd proposed a trade that included giving up four first-round picks and star cornerback Darius Slay for Wilson. While that seems highly unlikely, that idea could add more fuel to those rumors. If the Eagles do become serious bidders, they will have to worry about other suitors, however.
With Wilson being a Virginia native, other rumors have swirled that he could soon take command of the Washington Commanders. Those rumors were fueled by comments made on Twitter from defensive end Jonathan Allen saying he would be thrilled to have him at the helm this upcoming season. When asked if he would welcome him to D.C., Allen responded with “1000%.” During the 2022 Pro Bowl Skills Challenge, Allen and Wilson were seen taking a picture together with their wives, increasing the speculation. At this point, two NFC East teams have been strongly monitored as likely landing spots but that does not mean others can’t court the superstar.
ESPN’s Mike Tannenbaum appeared on Get Up on Friday morning, making a case for Wilson to join the Pittsburgh Steelers. He described the team as essentially being a championship quarterback away from being “Super Bowl contenders.” He saw it as a win-win scenario for each team, with Seattle possibly getting multiple first-round picks for their rebuild and Pittsburgh replacing a newly-retired Ben Roethlisberger and easing the qualms of backup quarterback Mason Rudolph becoming the starter. The Steelers have all the pieces in place with a proven winner in head coach Mike Tomlin, great defensive pieces like Cameron Heyward, T.J. Watt, and Minkah Fitzpatrick, and a stud running back in Najee Harris. The move would make sense and provide a better situation for Wilson to win another ring.
Out with the old, in with the new
This whole situation is met with uncertainty, but one thing is set in stone with the longtime Seahawks signal caller; he wants to compete for a championship every single season. Seattle may not be the place for him to do that, as head coach Pete Carroll could find himself out as well as the team has not made a deep playoff run in 7 seasons. Wilson’s age is another factor as he is 33 and surely cannot withstand a rebuild. He has not publicly expressed his desire to leave and his team player mentality and positive attitude give nothing away. However, for the man that ends every postgame interview with “Go Hawks,” it is only a matter of time before he is giving an interview in different team colors.