Seahawks QB Russell Wilson not giving up dream of playing baseball
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson is not giving up the dream of playing professional baseball.
At some point in life anyone who has played a sport before knows that the end of our playing days is an inevitability.
More from NFL
- Joe Burrow owes Justin Herbert a thank you note after new contract
- Chiefs gamble at wide receiver could already be biting them back
- Chargers loosen grip on checkbook to pay Justin Herbert: Best memes and tweets
- Patriots backup plan for DeAndre Hopkins is a shot in the dark
- Raiders: Saquon Barkley’s new contract may have screwed over Josh Jacobs
Seattle Seahawks quarterback and Super Bowl-winning quarterback, Russell Wilson isn’t ready to put his dream of playing in the MLB to rest, according to an upcoming appearance on HBO’s “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel.”
Despite Wilson leading Seattle to the Super Bowl in the last two seasons and negotiations on a new contract that will likely make him the highest-paid player in NFL history, Wilson tells Gumbel he would play two sports.
“You never want to kill the dream of playing two sports,” Wilson said in a clip of the interview that was provided to media today by HBO for the show that will debut on April 21. “I would honestly play two sports.”
The Texas Rangers hold his rights and Wilson attended one day of spring training with the team for the second straight offseason. He didn’t play in a game, but unlike last year, he took some cuts in the batting cage and even his a home run.
If we look solely at his minor league statistics with the Colorado Rockies organization, the answer would be a resounding no. Wilson hit .230 with Tri-Cities of the Northwest League in 32 games 2010 and hit.228 with Asheville in 61 games in 2011. You don’t see players who struggle to his .230 in the low minor leagues make it to the bigs leagues and you certainly don’t see players making more than $20 million to play quarterback for a Super Bowl contender toiling away in the minor leagues.
Yes, it is a nice dream to have to be the next Bo Jackson or Deion Sanders and play in the NFL and MLB, but that dream officially be put to bed once he signs his extension with the Seahawks that are ongoing. I would guess they put a clause in his contract preventing him from pursuing a baseball career.
After all, they don’t want their $100 million investment to get hit by a pitch and break his hand or have his legs taken out by an aggressive base runner trying to break up a double play and put Wilson in harm’s way.
You can watch the clip of Wilson speaking with Gumbel about why he didn’t push to play baseball more, his thoughts on the final play in the Super Bowl and how often he’s watched the replay in the clip below.
More from FanSided
- Joe Burrow owes Justin Herbert a thank you note after new contract
- Chiefs gamble at wide receiver could already be biting them back
- Braves-Red Sox start time: Braves rain delay in Boston on July 25
- Yankees: Aaron Boone gives optimistic return date for Aaron Judge
- MLB Rumors: Yankees-Phillies trade showdown, Mariners swoop, India goes to Seattle