A lengthy feature story that was published this week indicated Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson is not well-liked among his teammates, and Michael Bennett wants to make it clear that the article does not speak for him.
In speaking with several current and former Seahawks players, coaches and staffers, ESPN’s Seth Wickersham was given the impression that some of Wilson’s teammates hold “resentment” toward him and privately root for the quarterback to fail. Bennett called Wickershame’s story “trash” and said he considers Wilson a close friend.
https://t.co/oyFZxuSLHx @espn @ESPNNFL this article is trash and should be on tmz it's all gossip I'm Surprised this came from you
— Michael Bennett (@mosesbread72) May 25, 2017
I love @DangeRussWilson great teammate n friend and even better human .I was at his house last week and he gave me BBQ ribs
— Michael Bennett (@mosesbread72) May 25, 2017
The story was mostly about Richard Sherman and how he still has not gotten over the way the Seahawks lost in Super Bowl XLIX, but you could argue Wilson was cast in the worst light. Here’s one particularly harsh excerpt:
It seems to go beyond the normal jealousy aimed at most star quarterbacks. Teammates privately seem to want him exposed, but ask them why, or on what grounds, and their reasons vary. A man who vowed to live in transparency — Wilson famously announced that he was refraining from premarital sex with his then-girlfriend, Ciara — required guests to sign nondisclosure agreements before entering his box at Mariners games. After the Super Bowl against Denver, team management “fell in love with Russell,” in the words of a former high-level staffer; defensive players would see him in executives’ offices and wonder, “Why not me?” Pettiness grew. In 2014, Bleacher Report reported that some black teammates “think Wilson isn’t black enough.” Every Christmas, Wilson gives each player two first-class tickets on Alaska Airlines, one of his endorsements. “It didn’t cost him anything,” one Seahawk told an assistant coach last year. “Big deal.”
Even if Bennett is close with Wilson, it seems like Wickersham spoke with enough sources close to the team that the information is rooted in truth. Interestingly, Bennett’s animated reaction to the piece came just days after he had another major issue with a member the media. Reporters should probably treat lightly around him for a while.
