Report: Seahawks players felt Russell Wilson had ‘checked out’

Those who followed some of the remarks Russell Wilson made publicly over the past year should not have been shocked when the Seattle Seahawks traded the star quarterback to the Denver Broncos on Tuesday. Wilson’s former teammates apparently were not surprised, either.

Michael-Shawn Dugar, Jayson Jenks and Mike Sando of The Athletic on Wednesday published a behind-the-scenes look at what led to the Wilson trade. Wilson first made his displeasure known with the Seahawks last offseason, both privately and publicly. While he and Pete Carroll later insisted their relationship was as strong as ever, their words were reportedly not reflected in their actions.

Some Seahawks players felt like Wilson “checked out” in 2021, according to The Athletic. The team also grew frustrated with the seemingly constant leaks indicating Wilson was not happy with the offense or direction of the team.

One source in Wilson’s camp told The Athletic that there was no trust remaining between the quarterback and the Seahawks. The two sides could not find a way to co-exist behind the scenes, which had become evident in the last several years. Wilson hinted on numerous occasions that he wanted the team to open up the play book for him more. Carroll, who won a Super Bowl with the Seahawks by building one of the greatest defenses in NFL history, never seemed on board with the approach Wilson wanted to take.

Wilson was so unhappy with the Seahawks last offseason that he publicly complained about getting hit too much. He also had his agent provide ESPN with a list of teams to which Wilson would accept a trade. Seattle then went out and finished 7-10, which was their worst season since drafting Wilson in 2012.

It will be interesting to see how the Seahawks operate in the post-Wilson era. Carroll, who is 70, almost certainly does not want to be part of a total rebuild. There has already been talk of the Seahawks targeting a specific star QB to replace Wilson.

Photo: Oct 7, 2021; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) stands on the sideline during the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Rams at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports