Russell Wilson - Give Him His Dues

Larry Maurer / CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)

He has won both on and off the field, so why does it feel that Seattle Seahawks QB Russell Wilson still doesn’t get the credit he deserves?

Although he once promised the Philadelphia Eagles a Super Bowl if they drafted him in 2012, as a third-round pick by the Seahawks, Wilson led the team to back to back Super Bowls and was on the verge of claiming two rings if it wasn’t for an errant coaching decision.

Did we mention that Wilson has piloted the Seahawks to three first-place finishes in the NFC West, once finished with the highest quarterback rating in the league, and also led the NFL in touchdown passes.

By andrewtat94 - cropped from, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=31051363

Let's also not forget that in his first eight seasons, Wilson has carried the team to playoffs seven times and only once finished with single-digit victories.

So why is all of this important? Despite all of his on-field accolades, not once has Wilson been named the NFL MVP nor has he received even a single vote.

Five years after the horrific one-yard nightmare that had Pete Carroll decide to put the ball in the air rather than have Marshawn Lynch plow through the New England Patriots defense for an almost guaranteed end zone celebration it seems as though that decision still has some laying blame on Wilson.

Had the ball found its way to its intended target, Wilson would have been a hero, but most likely still have lost the individual honor.

By Keith Allison from Hanover, MD, USA - Russell Wilson, Pete Carroll, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=64689995

Currently out of the gate with a 3-0 record to start the COVID crazed 2020-21 season, Russell has been the focal point for a team that once had a dominant defensive line and a running game among the best in the league.

Despite an average front line at best, Russell has found a way to turn Seattle into the second-highest scoring team in the league, throwing for 14 touchdowns with just one interception and a league-best QB rating of 139.

With the Seahawks predicted to compete for the NFC Championship and a potential clash with reigning MVP Patrick Mahomes, maybe it is Wilson's time to receive some attention from MVP voters.