Don’t turn on Russell Wilson over contract negotiations

Talking to my friends on the sports side of the building (it smells like a stale locker over there, so I try to stay away), I’m hearing the 12th Man is starting to turn on Russell Wilson, once thought of as untouchable, because he’s asking to be paid what he’s worth.

To that end, I’ve seen some tweets attacking Wilson, arguing this is somehow an affront to his faith, to demand big bucks. In the comments section on our sports articles, they’re saying he’s not worth millions of dollars based on his level of play,

“The fan… sentiment is starting to change,” explained 710 ESPN Seattle’s Bob Stelton. “[Before] you couldn’t even criticize Russell. And now it’s ‘Russell’s greedy’ and ‘he’s phony.’ It’s the minority opinion… but it’s more than before.”

Any judgment on Wilson, however small, is ridiculous.

Like any athlete, he should be paid what he’s worth. The wrinkle with the NFL is the salary cap, but it’s not like they don’t routinely restructure salaries to accommodate that issue.

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“I think ultimately it comes down to the play,” deflected Wilson, when asked by ESPN what he feels he should be paid. “Just let my play speak for itself and let the rest take care of itself, continue to love the game for what it is and continue to fight, continue to play no matter how much I’m getting paid, no matter if it’s $25 million or if it’s $1.5 million. I’ll be ready to go.”

Somehow, because Wilson is a man of faith and talks frequently about wanting to play in Seattle, there are folks who believe he shouldn’t demand millions of dollars and they look down at him for wanting more money than you and I will probably ever see.

But being religious and getting paid what you’re worth are not mutually exclusive.

Wilson brings in millions of dollars of profit to the Seahawks through his game play and celebrity. Fans flock to CenturyLink to watch him play (and win), the way they do Marshawn Lynch or Richard Sherman. They watch him on TV or listen to Seahawks play-by-play on KIRO Radio to hear him help bring home wins. Fans buy his jerseys and consume media with his name on it (you just gave me a page view because I’m talking about him). He is incredibly valuable and should demand a number that reflects that. And we shouldn’t judge him for holding out for a number he and his agent are comfortable with.

Many of us do the exact same thing, just on a smaller level. We negotiate over a few thousand dollars, perhaps an extra week of paid vacation or some other perk. We do this because we believe we’re more valuable to the company than they’re willing to admit. Russell Wilson is no different – we should cut him a break on this.