RENTON — Russell Wilson is as banged up as he’s ever been during his five years in the NFL.
The Seattle Seahawks quarterback carried a sprained right ankle into last Sunday’s game against the San Francisco 49ers. Then he suffered a knee injury that was later diagnosed as a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee. The knee injury forced Wilson to miss plays because of a physical ailment for the first time in his NFL career.
But Wilson is adamant those injuries won’t keep him off the field this Sunday when the Seahawks travel to face the New York Jets.
Wilson spoke Thursday at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center, the first time he addressed the media since immediately following Sunday’s game, and when asked if he will play Sunday he answered, “No doubt.
“I feel great, I feel strong. Obviously I practiced in full (Wednesday) and I’m excited about this week.”
Wilson is the key cog in Seattle’s offense. Last season he reached new heights, registering the 15th-best single-season passer rating in NFL history. Against the 49ers he guided the Seahawks to three touchdowns and two field goals through the middle of the third quarter.
But in three games Wilson has already taken more physical damage than he did during his first four seasons combined. In Seattle’s opener against the Miami Dolphins he suffered the sprained ankle while being sacked by Ndamukong Suh. Wilson didn’t miss any game time, but his mobility was visibly affected both in the remainder of the game and the following week against the Los Angeles Rams.
Then against San Francisco, Wilson was brought down from behind by a horse-collar tackle from Eli Harold, and in the process Harold fell on Wilson’s left leg, causing it to buckle. Wilson came out for one play, played the rest of the drive, but then was held out the rest of the way.
But despite the injuries Wilson hasn’t missed any practice time, as he was listed as a full participant in both Wednesday’s and Thursday’s practices.
Wilson said he hasn’t even had to lobby the coaching staff about playing Sunday.
“I haven’t really tried to politic,” said Wilson, who added he was able to do everything he normally does during Wednesday’s practice. “The doctors looked at my leg, they see my mobility in it, they see my strength in it. There’s nothing about politicking.”
Wilson has been practicing with a brace on his left knee to provide stability, and he’s expected to play with the brace Sunday.
“I’ve played with a knee brace before,” Wilson said. “I can’t remember what year, I think it was at N.C. State. I’ve been able to do it and it’s not going to be a hindrance really at all. I don’t mind wearing one, I’m wearing one right now.”
There’s a school of thought that the Seahawks should rest Wilson on Sunday. Seattle has its bye week following Sunday’s game, so if Wilson was held out he would have three full weeks to heal.
But that goes against the way Wilson works.
“I love the game of football, I don’t want to miss a day,” Wilson said. “Whether it’s a game or practice, I don’t want to miss a day ever. That’s just kind of my mentality and I’ve got to do whatever it takes.”
Just what has it taken? It hasn’t just been about the power of positive thinking for Wilson. He said he’s been undergoing round-the-clock treatment, a regimen that includes a lot of icing, a lot of work on the stationary bike and a lot of stretching. Wilson will also be woken in the middle of the night to undergo treatment.
But what it hasn’t included is any time off the field.
“It’s the mindset,” Wilson said. “How much do you want to get it on, how much pain tolerance do you have, how much can you ignore the outside noise and know what you can take and what you can do?
“I’ve always kind of had a high pain tolerance,” Wilson added. “I don’t know what it is, but I just think ultimately it’s between your ears. I think a lot of it is how you come back from adversity on the field, off the field, in live in general. And it’s also just your will — how bad do you really want to play? You have to be smart always, but I think a lot if it is self-talk.”
Talk that’s putting Wilson right back in the lineup, injuries and all.
For more on the Seattle sports scene, check out Nick Patterson’s Seattle Sidelines blog at www.heraldnet.com/tag/seattle-sidelines, or follow him on Twitter at @NickHPatterson.
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