The public nature of a pro athlete’s career path allows us to watch and wonder how we’d react under similar circumstances.
Notwithstanding ginormous paychecks that make change easier to swallow, athletes are subject to the same laws of human nature we all face. Moving from one employer to another and adjusting to life in a new city with a new boss and new co-workers can unleash a flood of mixed emotions – especially at quarterback, the most glamorous position in sports.
One day you’re cut, tossed out like spoiled leftovers, but the next day you join a storied franchise to restore your reputation. That was Russell Wilson’s story last week when he signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was gonna smile no matter where he landed – the Denver Broncos owe him around $39 million, and he still has Ciara – but now he’ll play under Mike Tomlin, whose 173 career wins rank second among active NFL coaches and 13th on the all-time list.
Or, one day, the organization that drafted you trades you away, ending months of speculation about your immediate NFL future. That was the case for Justin Fields, who spent three years in Chicago without proving he’s a franchise QB. The Bears wanna try someone else, so on Saturday, they shipped Fields to Pittsburgh, where Wilson was just getting comfortable as the presumptive starter.
“Let’s get it, Justin Fields!” Wilson tweeted after the trade. “QB room bout to be fire.”
We’d expect nothing less from Wilson, at times accused of being too corny and too corporate. He didn’t choose the Steelers to be their backup quarterback, but he knew there’d be competition. He just thought it’d come from Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh’s starter last year.
“I’m looking forward to just competing and being the best version of me every day,” Wilson told reporters last week before Pickett was traded to Philadelphia. “That’s the best part. That’s what you bring to the table.”
Beating…
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