O’Neil: Russell Wilson’s former Seahawks teammate encapsulates why this is all very alarming

The past three weeks have been spent scrutinizing just how much tension exists between quarterback Russell Wilson and the franchise that employs him.

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There’s another side to this story, though. One that will be much harder to pin down, and that’s how Wilson’s co-workers are going to feel about all of this, which is why a multimedia exchange involving two Seahawks who won a Super Bowl alongside Wilson demanded my full attention.

First, linebacker K.J. Wright appeared on the NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football” and did his best to douse any thought that Wilson might play elsewhere.

“Russ isn’t going anywhere,” Wright said. “As long as I’m going to be in Seattle, Russ is going to be the quarterback. He means too much to us. He means way too much to this organization, he means way too much to the city. Usually people want to come to Seattle, not leave Seattle, and so I’m sure that he and the organization will get things figured out. He’s somebody that I admire and I love playing with so I expect Russ will be with the Seahawks for a very long time.”

Michael Robinson, a Seahawks fullback from 2010 through 2013, quote-tweeted the clip of that video with his own thoughts.

Love big homie @KJ_WRIGHT34!! But how does #RussellWilson walk back into a locker room where he is saying the Oline stinks and he has no weapons?? The @Seahawks brass has literally given the team to Russ. AND he has been paid…twice! What else does he want? 🤷🏾‍♂️ https://t.co/8X5m8XBg1S

— Michael Robinson (@RealMikeRob) February 26, 2021

Context is important here because Robinson isn’t just a former Seahawk. He’s a former captain and someone who functioned like the conscience of Seattle’s locker room during the first four years of head coach Pete Carroll’s tenure. He’s also someone with a great deal of respect and affection for Wilson. They’re both from Richmond, Va., and I will always remember Robinson’s voice as the one that announced Wilson as the franchise quarterback after Wilson led two different game-winning drives in an overtime victory in Chicago in December 2012.

“The kid is amazing, man,” Robinson said. “The kid is amazing. I’m just glad he plays for us.”

This was December 2012 and the Seahawks had just won 23-17 in overtime in a game where Wilson was good enough to win the game twice. Seriously. He threw to Golden Tate for a go-ahead touchdown with 24 seconds left, and then – after Seattle inexplicably allowed a 56-yard pass to set up a game-tying field goal – he threw to Sidney Rice for a game-winning touchdown on the first possession of overtime.

Afterward, I still remember Robinson saying of Seattle’s quarterback, “He’s a ba-a-a-a-a-a-a-d man.”

That’s pertinent background not to show how much has changed with regard to Wilson, but to illustrate that Robinson is not one of those former teammates who has some enduring antagonism toward Seattle’s quarterback. Even as Robinson tweeted in reaction to what Wilson had said, he said he loved Wilson.

It’s worth taking a look at Robinson’s Tweets from Friday because it gives you an idea how Wilson’s comments – while aimed at the coaching staff and front office – are going to sound to other players:

So you don’t think a lot of those “hits” and “pressures” are because he’s trying to always make the big play?? If you hold the ball, you will get hit in this league. It’s really that simple 🤷🏾‍♂️ https://t.co/tAohIgMS3B

— Michael Robinson (@RealMikeRob) February 26, 2021

What does being frustrated with being hit mean?? Because he can limit that by just letting the ball go on time. But we gotten so enamored with the backyard explosive plays. Ask Big Ben. At some point you have to beat the defense with getting the ball out. https://t.co/mOneihVxGk

— Michael Robinson (@RealMikeRob) February 26, 2021

Well…why throw out teams you would like to be traded to?? 🧐🤔 https://t.co/7dtzk3ZjfJ

— Michael Robinson (@RealMikeRob) February 26, 2021

Then WHY. NAME. TEAMS?? https://t.co/0s75a6YVCY

— Michael Robinson (@RealMikeRob) February 26, 2021

Robinson was in Seattle for the start of Wilson’s career. He saw not only Seattle’s decision to start Wilson from Game 1 of his rookie season, but watched that blossom into a five-game winning streak in December where the Seahawks scored 150 points in a single three-game stretch.

To think that after nine seasons and eight playoff appearances Wilson now feels he can’t play for Carroll was hard for Robinson to believe, as he expressed in his final tweet on the subject last Friday.

That’s crazy if that is true! Trust me! There hasn’t been a bigger fan of RW. At least from my view. https://t.co/i8kY3UNgiU

— Michael Robinson (@RealMikeRob) February 26, 2021

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More on the Seahawks’ situation with Russell Wilson

• Bumpus: WRs likely concerned about rift between Seahawks and Wilson
• Clayton: Why a Russell Wilson trade can’t be in the cards for Seahawks
• O’Neil: Middle ground for Wilson and Seahawks getting harder to find
• Heaps: This is about Russell Wilson wanting to win, not leave

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