Getty The Russell Wilson trade rumors could heat up again this offseason.
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson made his first comments since sustaining a broken finger and undergoing surgery to repair the injury. Wilson took to social media to reveal a post-surgery photo that immediately went viral. Less than 24 hours after posting, Wilson’s photo eclipsed more than half a million likes.
“Lion Heart,” Wilson’s caption read as he posted a photo with his new cast.
There has been variously reported timelines regarding Wilson’s return, but Seahawks fans can expect the quarterback to be aggressive in trying to beat the estimate. ESPN’s Brady Henderson reported that Wilson will be sidelined four to eight weeks as Geno Smith temporarily takes over as the Seahawks QB1.
Wilson posted the photo on both Instagram and Twitter. The Seahawks quarterback also shared a Bible verse to his Instagram Story accompanied by a photo with his wife Ciara.
“‘Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance,’ James 1:2-3 NIV #KingdomThoughts,” Wilson noted.
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Wilson’s Surgery Was ‘More Complicated’ Than Was Initially Expected
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Wilson’s surgery was “more complicated” than it was originally expected to be prior to the procedure. The Seahawks released a statement noting that Wilson is expected to return to the field this season but did not specify a timetable.
“Seahawks QB Russell Wilson underwent surgery on his injured finger today, source said, a procedure that is expected to keep him out several weeks,” Rapoport said in a series of tweets. “Dr. Steven Shin did the procedure, stabilizing his finger with screws. The surgery was more complicated than expected, with the need for screws complicating matters. The timetable is roughly 6 weeks, though Wilson will no doubt be determined to beat it.”
Carroll on Wilson’s Recovery: ‘I Know That He’ll Maximize Whatever the Timeframe Is’
Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll described Wilson’s mindset after the injury as “Russ at his finest.” Carroll believes Wilson will do everything in his power to try to beat the projected return timeline.
“This is Russ at his finest in terms of competitiveness,” Carroll noted, per Seahawks.com. “He’s doing everything possible to be ready to take advantage of whatever is available to him. He’s tuned in and focused, he was up all night working it, he’s already flying to go see the docs. Everything has been done as fast and as efficiently as possible.
“It’s looking ahead, we’re already looking at getting right and coming back, that’s how we’re talking about it, and I know that he’ll maximize whatever the timeframe is. He’s going to do a fantastic job of doing whatever he’s up against.”
Smith: ‘Sometimes I Fight Back Tears Before the Games…I Wish I Could Be out There’
All eyes are on Smith as he takes over the offense for at least the next several games. After Wilson sustained the injury, Smith performed well to keep the Seahawks in the game against the Rams, before Tyler Lockett slipped at the beginning of a potentially game-winning drive.
Prior to the injury, Wilson never missed a start which means being his backup equates to rarely seeing the field. After the game, Smith noted that he has been preparing for this moment and admitted some weeks he “fight[s] back tears” before games as he wishes he was under center.
“I’ve been playing this game long enough to know just when you think it’s not going to happen is when it does and so just preparing every single time,” Smith noted in his postgame press conference after the Seahawks’ loss to the Rams. “It is gut-wrenching, sometimes I fight back tears before the games, like man, I wish I could be out there. But reality is you gotta prepare and you gotta keep preparing and that’s something that I pride myself on is being prepared and always being ready and that goes [for] mentally, physically and everything else.”