Russell Wilson is a veteran quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers, won the Super Bowl in 2014. He was drafted by the Seahawks in 2012 and played his college football at the University of Wisconsin. Here's the 20 Facts You Didn't Know About Russell Wilson.
20. Russell Wilson openly admitted that he was not the kindest of kids.
He was a bully who would beat people up, throw them against the wall, and knock out their teeth.
19. Russell Wilson is a Christian.
In a documentary called “The Making of a Champion”, he talks about how he found God at the age of 14. He said, “I had a dream that my dad passed away and that Jesus came into the room and he was basically knocking on my door, saying, ‘Hey, you need to find out more about me.’ So that Sunday morning I ended up going to church and that’s when I got saved.”
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18. Wilson’s relationship with Ciara got a lot of media attention when the two revealed that they were planning on abstaining from sex until marriage, so they could build a stronger relationship Jesus’ way.
17. Russell Wilson wears the #3 on his jersey because of the Holy Trinity.
It had been reported that he chose the #3 because he was selected by the Seahawks in the third round. However, he said that he chose the number to honor the Holy Trinity.
As a result of his faith, he has become a huge fan of gospel music. He particularly likes the musical works of Kirk Franklin and Lamar Campbell because their works connect to his life.
16. The most impactful message Wilson ever received came from his father.
His father used to say to him, “Why not you?” Wilson used “Why not you?” to start a foundation to raise awareness for domestic violence.
15. Russell Wilson is a senior editor for “The Players’ Tribune”, a website launched by former New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter.
Quarterback Russell Wilson grew up as a fan of Jeter. Wilson has written about domestic violence and submitted an article which provides a first-person viewpoint of his approach to football.
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14. In many interviews, Wilson has admitted that Pete Carroll is like a father figure to him, and they text regularly, even when in different time zones.
Russell Wilson and his teammates enjoy meditation and yoga as part of their training. He had been planning to have a football camp ever since he was in the 11th grade. He said if he could positively impact just one child, everything would be worth it.
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13. In high school, QB Russell Wilson was voted most likely to appear on television.
He once roomed with 2014 World Series MVP Madison Bumgarner. Prior to the 2012 NFL Draft, he put the names of all 32 teams into a hat and then picked out the Seahawks.
He has a bus named after him at Seahawk tailgates called “Bussell Wilson.” Rapper Eminem mentioned him in his 2013 song, “The Monster.” Wilson has appeared in the 2015 film “Entourage.”
12. Russell Wilson is an active volunteer in the Seattle community.
During the NFL season, he makes weekly visits on his days off to the Seattle Children’s Hospital and has also visited with soldiers at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
In the offseason, he hosts the Russell Wilson Passing Academy, a youth football camp, in several cities.
In 2012, proceeds from the camp went to the Charles Ray III Diabetes Association, for which Wilson is the National Ambassador.
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11. In 2013 and 2014, he partnered with Russell Investments for its “Invested with Russell” program, which donated $3,000 to Wilson’s charitable foundation for every touchdown he scored.
He co-hosts an annual charity golf event along with NASCAR driver Kasey Kahne at Suncadia Resort in Cle Elum, Washington, to support various organizations, including Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Seattle Children’s Hospital.
In August 2016, Wilson’s Why Not You Foundation presented a check for $1,060,005 to Seattle Children’s Hospital for its Strong Against Cancer initiative.
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10. Russell Wilson was born at The Christ Hospital in Cincinnati, and he grew up in Richmond, Virginia.
He is the son of Harrison Benjamin Wilson III, a lawyer, and Tammy Wilson, a legal nurse consultant. He has an older brother, Harrison IV, and a younger sister, Anna.
He started playing football with his father and brother at the age of four, and he played his first organized game for the Tuckahoe Tomahawks youth football team in the sixth grade.
9. His great-great-grandfather was a slave to a Confederate colonel and was freed after the American Civil War.
His maternal grandfather was noted painter A. B. Jackson. According to genetic admixture analysis, Wilson is 62% African, 36% European, 1% West Asian, and 1% Central Asian.
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8. Russell Wilson’s father played football and baseball at Dartmouth and was a wide receiver for the San Diego Chargers preseason squad in 1980.
His brother, Harry, played football and baseball at the University of Richmond, and his sister Anna plays basketball for Stanford.
His father died on June 9, 2010 at age 55 due to complications from diabetes.
7. Russell Wilson attended Collegiate School, a preparatory school in Richmond, Virginia.
In addition to playing football, he was also a member of the Collegiate School basketball and baseball teams.
He also served as his senior class president. QB Russell Wilson committed to North Carolina State University on July 23, 2006. He also received a football scholarship offer from Duke University.
6. After graduating from high school, he was selected by the Baltimore Orioles with the fifth pick in the 41st round (1,222nd overall) of the 2007 MLB Draft.
He instead elected to attend NC State that fall. In a 2008 interview, he said, “I was leaning towards [entering the draft], but a college education is something you’ll always have.
On June 8, 2010, he was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the fourth round (140th pick overall) of the 2010 MLB Draft.
5. Russell Wilson redshirted during the 2007 season at NC State.
In May 2010, he graduated from NC State in three years with a BA in communication, and took graduate-level business courses in the fall semester during the 2010 football season.
In January 2011, he announced that he would report to spring training with the Colorado Rockies organization.
On April 29, 2011, NC State head coach Tom O'Brien announced that Wilson had been granted a release from his football scholarship with one year of eligibility remaining.
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4. On June 27, 2011, Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema announced that Wilson had committed to Wisconsin for the 2011 season.
Wilson finished the season with 33 passing touchdowns, which set the single-season record at Wisconsin and was the second-most in Big Ten history behind Drew Brees during the 1998 season at Purdue (39).
On January 28, 2012, Wilson completed his college football career at the 2012 Senior Bowl.
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3. In February 2012, former NFL quarterback and director of the IMG Madden Football Academy Chris Weinke said of Wilson, “If he was 6–5, he’d probably be the No. 1 pick in the draft.”
On April 11, 2012, ESPN “Monday Night Football” analyst Jon Gruden said, “The only issue with Russell Wilson is his height. That might be the reason he’s not picked in the first couple rounds.”
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2. With the victory in Super Bowl 48, Russell Wilson became just the second black starting quarterback to win a Super Bowl, joining Super Bowl 22 winner Doug Williams.
In addition to this, Wilson, at 5ʹ11ʺ tall, became the shortest quarterback to win a Super Bowl, shorter than Len Dawson, Joe Theismann, and Drew Brees (all 6ʹ0ʺ).
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1. Russell Wilson is married to American R&B singer Ciara.
They began dating in early 2015 and announced their engagement on March 11, 2016. They were married on July 6, 2016, at the Peckforton Castle in Cheshire, England.
Their daughter, Sienna Princess Wilson, was born on April 28, 2017. They have two Great Danes, Prince and Naomi.
He met his first wife, Ashton Meem, while they were both high school students. They married in January 2012 and divorced in April 2014.
That’s all The 20 Facts You Didn’t Know About Russell Wilson, tell us who won the Russell Wilson trade? and, how many more Super Bowls you think Russell Wilson will win with the Pittsburgh Steelers before he retires!