Russell Wilson Says Seattle Seahawks Wouldn’t Have Played If They’d Had A Game This Week

Russell Wilson said that if the Seattle Seahawks had been scheduled to play a game this week, they wouldn’t have played it. Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk reported on Saturday that the quarterback and his teammates would have refused to take the field as a way to protest the police shooting of Jacob Blake.

“Yeah, for sure,” Wilson said on 710 ESPN Seattle.

“I think just witnessing what happened to Jacob and everything else and all the things have added up to this, it’s devastating. It’s truly devastating just to watch that.”

He added that it wasn’t like this kind of thing hasn’t been going on for years. The fact that police brutality has been happening for a while was both scary and sad to Wilson. He also said the big difference these days is that the public gets to see it when it happens on social media and the news. He argued that the prevalence of cell phones and cameras had made people become more aware of these incidents but that they aren’t actually happening more often.

Wilson said he and his team are looking at what kind of steps they are going to take next.

Williams said there are some prominent Black players who have mentioned the possibility of sitting out a game during the upcoming regular season. Wilson wouldn’t commit to that, but he didn’t rule it out either.

During the interview, Wilson told the hosts that he and his teammates have been having quite a few discussions over how they want to make their voices heard. He said they all understand that whatever they do isn’t going to change things right away. He added that they know there are going to be little moves first and then perhaps a big jump at some point.

He did also say that they can’t wait for years in order to make the changes that are needed when it comes to racism. Wilson said everyone needs to work together in order to get things changed.

During another part of the interview, the quarterback admitted that as the father of three young boys, he worries about their safety.

“I have three amazing, intelligent, athletic, talented, full-of-lie, full-of-huge-huge-smile type children that just bring joy and bring light to the world and anybody they’re ever around, ” Wilson said.

“And what I fear is one day they’re not here because of somebody else’s insecurities, because of the lack of empathy, because of racism.”