Dan Patrick expressed his discomfort with Richard Sherman’s critical remarks about Russell Wilson earlier this week.
Sherman, a former cornerback for the Seahawks, mentioned on Amazon’s pre-game show Thursday night that Wilson’s achievements in Seattle were significantly supported by the team’s strong defense, noting Wilson’s challenges since departing from the franchise.
This discussion followed Tony Gonzalez’s comments, implying that Wilson, who played for the Giants recently, might be fading from Hall of Fame discussions.
Patrick described Sherman’s assessment as overly harsh. He pointed out that during Wilson’s last few seasons in Seattle, the defense wasn’t nearly as dominant as before.
“This is revisionist history,” Patrick remarked. “The powerful defense faded away when he was 27. Sure, you can look at the last three years, but is it fair to judge him solely based on that?”
He continued, “I posed a question simply to explore the topic. But we should acknowledge what Russ accomplished in Seattle concerning his contract.”
Wilson had a record of 30 wins and 18 losses in his final three seasons in Seattle.
While Wilson’s talents shouldn’t be overlooked, he has never been the most beloved player among his Seattle teammates, particularly in Sherman’s eyes.
A 2017 ESPN article recounted the decline of the Seahawks’ dominant defense, recalling moments when Sherman vocalized his frustrations with Wilson during practice.
Sherman stated, “Without that legendary defense, he would have faced a record of 4-11, 7-8, or 0-3 starting with the Giants. He was labeled a winning quarterback in Seattle, and everyone praised him for it.”
He added, “Now he’s on his own to demonstrate, ‘Hey, I’m a top-tier quarterback. I should be dominant.’ But it’s not unfolding that way.”
While there’s no denying Wilson’s difficulties since leaving the Seahawks, it seems Sherman may have his own motives in this critique.
