In the moments after the Seattle Seahawks clinched a spot in Super Bowl XLVIII, Russell Wilson found himself standing next to one of the winningest quarterbacks in Super Bowl history. Terry Bradshaw, like Joe Montana, is a perfect 4-0 in Super Bowl starts. Wilson decided to take advantage of being in the presence of such wisdom.
“I’ve got a question for you,” Wilson said to Bradshaw. “What do we need to do to win it? What makes you win it?”
This, as they say, is sports porn. There’s a difference between pregame analysis on FOX Sports and a genuine one-on-one conversation between one of the game’s great young quarterbacks and an NFL legend. Fortunately, we were given a glimpse into the latter.
“You know what, you’ve got to be really cool,” Bradshaw told Wilson. “Don’t let the moment catch up with you. You’ve got to play the game down. If you build it up, you’ll screw it up and you won’t play well.
“It’s not just another game, believe me. But you can make it one. Just be cool.”
Awesome stuff. While it’s much easier said than done, Wilson should be able to take some pressure off himself by looking across the field. Peyton Manning has far more to lose than he does. If the Denver Broncos lose, people are going to be talking about how Manning was never a great playoff performer and has trouble winning the biggest games. If Seattle loses, Wilson is just a 25-year-old kid who will probably be back there some day.
