Russell Wilson has played for two of the most storied franchises in sports. The New York Yankees and Pittsburgh Steelers. And he sees a comparison between both organizations.
Reporting to training camp Wednesday morning, Wilson spoke about the similar mindset both teams bring.
“It’s the high character of the guys that we have,” Wilson said via 93.7 The Fan. “It’s an organizational thing. I think that I’ve noticed that when I was with the Yankees actually. Spring training and being around those guys, it was an organizational thing. The championships, the mentality. ‘I believe [in the] Pittsburgh Steelers.’ It’s an organizational thing. The character of the men that we have.”
Wilson’s time with the Yankees was brief but notable. A multi-sport athlete, Wilson was selected by the Colorado Rockies in the fourth round of the 2010 MLB Draft. Over the next two years, he would appear in 93 games, hitting .229 with five home runs and 26 RBIs.
Despite settling on an NFL career, Wilson returned to the diamond in 2018. With his rights traded from the Texas Rangers to the New York Yankees, the team Wilson idolized growing up, he appeared in one spring training game. Facing the Atlanta Braves’ Max Fried, Wilson had a competitive at-bat but ultimately struck out.
Enjoying his offseason after signing with the Steelers, Wilson took some cuts in batting practice with the Pittsburgh Pirates earlier this year while treating teammates to a night at the ballpark.
In many respects, the Steelers and Yankees are similar. Historic franchises with plenty of trophies in their cases. Legendary players, some of the greatest to ever play the game. Ownership synonymous with the sport – Steinbrenner and Rooney. But in recent years, the franchises have leaned on that past glory as the current editions have scuffled. The Yankees haven’t won a World Series since 2009. The Steelers haven’t hoisted the Lombardi since 2008, and neither team has been back to the main event since 2010. New York missed the playoffs a season ago while Pittsburgh was again bounced in the first round.
That wasn’t Wilson’s point, his tone was much more optimistic, but it is another similarity between these two franchises. Right now, the Yankees are having a strong overall season with a 60-43 record, though they’ve faded after a hot start. The Steelers will look to show the same improvement once they hit the field in September, not long before playoff baseball gets underway.
