Russell Wilson is open to the idea of becoming the next two-sport athlete — at least until he gets a new contract.
The Seattle Seahawks quarterback is starting to flirt pretty hard with baseball after making another appearance at spring training with the Texas Rangers. In fact, Wilson said on HBO’s “Real Sports” that he hasn’t given up on playing both football and baseball.
“I never want to kill the dream of playing two sports,” Wilson said, per ESPN.com. “I would honestly play two sports.”
Russell was then asked what was holding him back from becoming a two-sport athlete.
“I don’t know,” Wilson answered. “I may push the envelope a little bit one of these days.”
The timing of these comments likely isn’t a coincidence. Wilson’s long-term contract situation is up in the air, at the moment. Wilson has been incredibly successful to begin his NFL career, and the Seahawks have taken full advantage. The quarterback is still on his rookie deal — a team-friendly pact — and it’s about time for Wilson to get a player-friendly extension. The two sides reportedly weren’t close on talks a month ago, so his two-sport comments might be a little bit of a negotating ploy, too.
Wilson played second base at NC State where he hit .282 over three seasons with five home runs and 30 RBIs. He was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the fourth round of the 2010 MLB draft and played two seasons of minor league baseball. He also showed he’s got some pop when making an appearance with the Rangers this spring where he launched a home run during batting practice.
Thumbnail photo via Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports Images
