If you follow Seattle Seahawks’ quarterback Russell Wilson on Facebook or Twitter, you will find that he commonly posts biblical verses. While this may not be what the average football fan is looking to see when he/she decides to enter Wilson’s world via social media, it quickly becomes apparent that Wilson’s faith is the center point of his life.
When national football analysts speak of Wilson, they talk about his poise, his maturity, his professionalism and how he is wise beyond his years. They talk about him being calm, never folding under pressure, and being able to maintain his composure regardless of the circumstances dictated by the game or by his opponents.
Wilson’s approach to the game is simple. He strives to be the best, he is a student of the game and he prepares himself well, but more importantly, he is led by his faith. Wilson exudes a great deal of confidence, and that confidence appears to be a direct result of his faith in God and faith in himself.
“The biggest thing in my life is definitely my faith,” said Wilson in a press conference prior to the Super Bowl. “It has brought me a long way, just being where I am today, to go against the odds when everybody else told me I couldn’t. That’s all God.”
Wilson became committed to his faith when he was 14 years old. In a recent video where he references his religious background, Wilson says that as a kid his parents always took him to church. However, because he was always playing sports, he was not fully committed to his faith until a dream about his father got his attention.
“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,’” recalled Wilson. “So that Sunday morning I end up going to church and that’s when I got saved.”
According to Wilson, about six years after he had the dream and made the personal decision to give himself to the Lord, his father died.
“It was that moment when I realized dreams were really real, because my dad ended up passing away six years later. I think that got me through a lot of adversity,” said Wilson.
Fast-forward to today and Wilson has made the most of his talents and opportunities. While it’s easy for his critics to call into question his height, or whether or not he’s a playmaker or a game-manager, one thing that they have to admit is that he’s a winner. He’s not only a winner on the field, but he’s also a winner in life.
As part of his weekly preparation for his next game, Wilson envisions the game, he sees his opponents, he sees his receivers, he sees various situations as it relates to down and distance, and he visualizes himself overcoming adversity. While this is probably nothing new for many professional athletes, you truly get the feeling when listening to Wilson that he relishes facing adversity because he feels its part of God’s plan to help him grow as a person.
“In terms of facing adversity, adversity is facing an opportunity,” says Wilson. “Whether it’s in a game or in life you’re going to face some adversity in life, it’s an opportunity to overcome.”
In the hours leading up to a game, while many players are getting hyped listening to music that locks them into an aggressive state-of-mind, Wilson takes a slightly different approach.
“I believe in certain techniques that you do to prepare yourself [for games],” said Wilson. “I listen to my gospel music and my R&B music before the game just to relax me. It’s something that I do to keep calm and get ready for the game.”
With a 28-9 record as a starter, Wilson has won more games in his first two seasons than any other quarterback in NFL history. In addition, he is the third youngest quarterback and second African American quarterback to win a Super Bowl.
With all that he has accomplished, Wilson is the first to point out that there are quite a few things that he is still trying to improve on. But the combination of preparation and his ever-growing faith is something that should be a concern for opposing defenses, because God’s will is something that you cannot game-plan for.
“God has given me this amazing talent to throw the football, even though I’m 5’11″ and people said that I could not do it. Nobody can stop what God has for you,” said Wilson.
While nobody’s walk with faith is perfect, Wilson’s walk with faith has taken him on a journey through life that is far from over.
“I used to beat up kids and fight kids and do stuff all the time,” said Wilson of his days before giving his life to the Lord. “But I realized God had given me so much, so many talents. I want to give Him all the glory.”
