A Grip on Sports: Russell Wilson’s fall from grace in Denver has been epic in its scale
A GRIP ON SPORTS • One of our favorite pieces of literature comes courtesy of John Milton. His epic, Paradise Lost, tells the story of angels who fell from grace through their hubris and ambition. Little did we know, when we read it some 45 years ago, we were preparing ourselves for the end of the Russell Wilson era in Seattle.
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• Not to say Wilson is a demon or anything. He’s not. Even if you were to discount every good deed he’s done throughout his career – and they are so common they are impossible to enumerate – the Seahawks’ former quarterback still lands solidly in the good-guy column.
He’s never been in trouble off the field. He’s always giving of his time. He’s faithful without being overbearing. For years he was, appropriately, the face of the Seahawks.
But it wasn’t enough. Like many of his peers, Wilson wanted more. He craved a legacy not built on being a quarterback with just one Super Bowl title. A legacy tarnished the next year when his last-second interception cost the Hawks a second.
As Seattle’s defense faded, so did Wilson’s path to another ring. You saw it. We saw it. Everyone saw it. Including Russell Wilson.
The rest of us couldn’t change it. Wilson could. Just being a solid quarterback on a solid team in a solidly football-crazed community wasn’t enough. He reached for the ethereal. A vision of glory. Denver, with its lights-out defense, modern young coach and unlimited potential, appeared as his city of glory.
It turned out to be a mirage.
Oh, Wilson reached one goal, at least for a few moments. His $245 million contract extension, signed not long after the Seahawks traded him to the Broncos for a draft haul that can only be described as weighty, put him among the highest paid quarterbacks of all time. And that’s one way to judge greatness, according to the fraternity itself.
But everything else? An illusion. The season began with a loss to the Wilson-less Seahawks in Seattle. It got worse. Way worse. This week the new Denver owners, the ones with unlimited pockets due to America’s penchant for discount stores, decided to cast that young coach adrift. With yesterday’s move, all eyes (and blame) moved from Nathaniel Hackett to Wilson.
This is Wilson’s worst season and it’s not even close. Sure, he’s not going to throw as many interceptions as he did in 2020 (13) but that year he had 40 touchdown tosses. This year, his nine interceptions is not offset by his 12 scoring passes. His passing rating, which has always been around 100 in his career, sits at 82.6, below the league average.
And the dissension rating in Denver has exploded. Most 4-11 teams just give up. The Broncos have imploded, with ugly arguments on the sidelines and finger-pointing on a fourth-grade level.
Remember when the Legion of Boom used to complain about the Hawks’ offense? How quaint.
It’s gotten so bad in the Mile High City, folks have been digging into Wilson’s contract and wondering how much dead cap money would be created if the Broncos cut him.
Too much.
Look, we all knew Denver gave up too much for a 30-something quarterback that was on the decline his last couple years in Seattle. And anyone with a smidgen of knowledge knew the money Wilson wanted was not commiserate with his ability at this stage of his career.
But no one could have seen how fast he would fall. And how far.
Seattle wasn’t Wilson’s paradise. But he’s ended up in the NFL’s version of pandemonium. And doesn’t look to be redeeming himself anytime soon.
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WSU: Around the Pac-12 and college football, Jon Wilner looks ahead to next season in the conference and sees one of the best quarterback classes ever. … Washington will face Texas in Thursday’s Alamo Bowl. … Oregon faces North Carolina in Wednesday’s Holiday Bowl. … To rebuild Arizona State football, new coach Kenny Dillingham is counting on a staff with deep ties to the state. The Sun Devils have picked up a bunch of transfers. … Here’s a look at Colorado’s roster, one that is still being put together.
Gonzaga: A five-game winning streak has moved the Zag men back into the A.P. poll top 10. Jim Meehan has more in this story. … The Zag women also rose this week, moving up to 19. Jim Allen has that information.
Idaho: A winning season meant a lot of awards for the Vandal football team. That information leads off the latest local sports notebook in the S-R. … Elsewhere in the Big Sky, the Idaho State basketball team needs to rebound better to be successful in conference play.
Shock: Yep, we have a story concerning the indoor football franchise that no longer exists. But its legacy lives on in the form of its former players. Dave Cook caught up with one of the franchise’s best, Raul Vijil, for this story.
Seahawks: Geno Smith has been a revelation as Wilson’s replacement in Seattle. But his recent performances haven’t been as solid. … The running game could help more, as it did in the second half last week. … This weekend’s opponent, the New York Jets, have settled on a quarterback. … Tyler Lockett is back at practice but whether he will play or not is still to be determined. … The Hawks need to win twice to make the playoffs. And get help. But should that be the goal? … A practice squad player has been rewarded with a roster spot.
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• The week between Christmas and New Year’s used to be completely lacking in sports news, other than bowl games. Seems as if this year might be different. Until later …