Does Russell Wilson suffer from “toxic positivity”? That’s what former NFL offensive lineman Mark Schlereth said recently, subsequently becoming a storyline in and around the Pittsburgh Steelers. Some have accused Wilson of being fake, presenting a stiflingly optimistic attitude.
Schlereth suggests that he also surrounds himself with fake positivity—a crew of yes men—that delude him into mistaking his abilities. But Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette wonders if, in coming to Pittsburgh, he has escaped the toxicity: his former coach.
“One thing that always struck a chord with me about Russell Wilson’s tenure in Denver was Sean Payton went out of his way to make things difficult with that relationship”, he told Joe Starkey and Paul Zeise on 93.7 The Fan yesterday. “Really putting a Super Bowl-winning veteran quarterback in places that were just odd for me to see him. The way he talked about him in the media. His body language in games, the yelling on the sidelines. You don’t see that every day”.
“Sean Payton does have a reputation in the NFL of being a guy who’s difficult to deal with. So that’s another reason I want to give Russell [Wilson] the benefit of the doubt with the Steelers”, he continued. “Sometimes just getting away from a toxic coach can be a good thing. Maybe you get into a more positive situation. Maybe you can get back to where you were in Seattle. … That whole Sean Payton thing always struck me as odd, the way he treated Russell Wilson”.
Let’s not forget that Payton benched Wilson at the end of last season for financial reasons. While higher-ups also played a part, the Broncos benched him because he refused to waive his injury guarantees. Payton refused to risk a Wilson injury, putting them on the hook for even more future money, so he sat.
And interactions with the media don’t help paint Payton in a much better light. After one instance of cameras capturing him yelling at Wilson on the sideline, he claimed it was for another reason. And then he said it’s none of the reporter’s business what he says to Wilson.
Russell Wilson may have an overly positive, Bob the Builder persona. He may very well surround himself with people who tell him he is wonderful and the world is his oyster. But there is no way he enjoyed playing for Sean Payton any more than Payton enjoyed coaching him.
If Wilson is guilty of toxic positivity, then he probably needed it last year to deal with Payton’s toxic negativity. I wouldn’t be surprised if he were glad when the Broncos released him—after all, he still gets the money. And now he gets to play under Mike Tomlin, the coach every player wants to play for.
Sure, Tomlin has terse moments with the media, especially when you ask him the wrong question at the wrong moment. But I have yet to hear of one player saying anything about Tomlin treating them with something less than respect. He wraps his arms around the shoulders of Diontae Johnson and George Pickens when they’re having moments. Payton chews them out.
