The entire NFL world seemingly took their shots at Russell Wilson throughout the 2022 season as he and the Denver Broncos struggled badly despite high expectations and an offseason full of "Let's Ride" filling up your social media feed. It felt like an abnormally large number of people within the NFL -- players, coaches, former players, analysts, commentators, etc. -- were eager for Russell Wilson to fail.
And if we're being brutally honest, that included the team Russell Wilson was previously a superstar for, the Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks were plenty bitter about Wilson getting a trade out of Seattle, and to a degree, that's understandable. There was always going to be a little bad blood over Russ seemingly being the one who wanted out of Seattle, and that was expected. What wasn't expected was the fact that no one in Seattle would be over it by this point.
What wasn't expected was how many Seattle fans and former players were seemingly rooting for Russell Wilson's failure. You couldn't go a day last season without hearing from someone like Richard Sherman talking about Russell Wilson, or reporters who cover the Seahawks going out of their way to write things about him.
There was such a level of disrespect going toward Russell Wilson last year that his new Denver Broncos teammates had to rally on Twitter late last season to defend the guy.
Even though Russell Wilson's personality may not be for everyone, and even though some of the natural fan-hate for Russ is justified due to the fact that he is a player who left a team after 10 years, he undoubtedly deserves to be revered by the Seattle Seahawks as a franchise and organization.
He helped bring the franchise its first-ever Super Bowl victory in 2013. The opponent that year is escaping me, however.
Wilson was the winningest QB in NFL history over the first 10 years of an NFL career. He should be considered a Seattle Seahawks legend. Despite maybe some playful jabbing and even some things that may have gone a little overboard, the Seahawks have officially crossed a line of disrespect that simply shouldn't be crossed.
I'm not one for number retirement, but just over a year after his departure from the team, the Seattle Seahawks have issued the jersey no. 3 to a new player -- cornerback Artie Burns.
Seattle Seahawks CB Artie Burns will wear number 3. #Seahawks pic.twitter.com/z4oh0r7Kks
— NFL Jersey Numbers (@nfl_jersey_num) May 24, 2023
This is out of hand.
The Seahawks didn't issue no. 3 last season to any player, nor did they issue Bobby Wagner's no. 54. They did bring Wagner back this offseason and even though Wagner went and signed with a division rival last year in Los Angeles, you didn't hear much hatred toward him whatsoever from the Seattle faithful.
You certainly heard plenty toward Russell Wilson.
Perhaps this seems like such an egregious thing to do by the Seahawks because the Denver Broncos have actually done a tremendous job of making sure their legendary players -- especially at quarterback -- are properly revered.
No. 7 is retired. No. 18 is retired and the only reason Peyton Manning got to wear it was because he did the right thing by calling up the Tripucka family before he wore it, and Manning was a living legend when he played for the Denver Broncos.
The Broncos have not officially retired these numbers, but have you seen anyone wear no. 58 since Von Miller was traded to the Rams and subsequently signed with the Buffalo Bills? No, you haven't. Why? Because Von Miller meant so much to the franchise and nobody is going to step on that legacy by wearing no. 58. At least not yet.
The same is true of no. 24. No. 24 was worn once since Champ Bailey's time with the Denver Broncos ended, and that was by Adam "Pacman" Jones who asked Bailey's permission to wear the number a few years back. Otherwise, nobody wears those two numbers anymore.
The Denver Broncos properly honor their franchise legends and apparently, the Seattle Seahawks do not.