Throughout his career, Russell Wilson has accomplished a lot. He won a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks and then almost beat Tom Brady to win a second one. He’s trying to revive his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers, and through three games, it’s working. He’s brought some of his signature flair to Pittsburgh, specifically his impressive deep ball. Former NFL quarterback Cam Newton believes the Steelers will be just fine if Wilson continues to play this way.
“With playing against Russell Wilson, that motherfucker is gonna do some shit that be like, ‘What the fuck was that?'” Newton said recently on his podcast. “If he starts getting shit like this?
“Seattle Russ was like, Tyler Lockett, [Doug] Baldwin, they had a whole bunch of dudes that was just like, motherfuckers catching the ball on their heads. That’s some Russell Wilson shit. He can bring that type of Russ magic, Pittsburgh nation, let’s ride.”
Wilson has been involved in some mind-boggling plays. One of the most underrated might be his throw to receiver Jermaine Kearse in Super Bowl 49. The ball was tipped up into the air, but Kearse miraculously made the catch. The ball seemingly bounced off every part of his body, yet it ended up secured in his hands.
That’s the kind of thing Newton is talking about. As the quarterback of the Carolina Panthers, he had multiple battles against Wilson’s Seahawks, including in the playoffs. He saw firsthand how special Wilson was.
There have been some plays that have had echoes of Wilson’s magic. In his first game with the Steelers, his first deep ball to Pickens bounced around in the air and ended up being a completion. He’s continued to bring that kind of unique playmaking ability to the Steelers’ offense.
Part of that is because Wilson is so willing to give his receivers chances to make plays. He isn’t afraid to take a shot. His veteran wisdom has also been useful. Last week, all of that came together to lead to Wilson throwing the game-winning touchdown to Mike Williams.
Newton has been open about his skepticism involving the Steelers. He also hasn’t been afraid to criticize Wilson. However, it sounds like he’s open to changing his mind if the Steelers continue to win like they have. Wilson has shown shades of his Seattle self. That version of him can make the Steelers a true contender.
