Russell Wilson Explains How Often He Thinks About the Malcolm Butler Interception in Super Bowl XLIX
On today's Pardon My Take, Seahawks QB Russell Wilson, aka "Mr. Unlimited," joined the show. The Super Bowl Champions hopped on the pod with Mr. Cat and Mr. Commenter to discuss Seattle's season, Pete Carroll's twin brother, being Unlimited, and more. The guys also got into a conversation about Wilson's Super Bowl appearances, with both a win and a loss. Of course, we all know that the Wisconsin product threw one of the more memorable interceptions in Super Bowl history to Malcolm Butler in 2015. How often does Wilson think about that? He answered on today's show:
Russell Wilson: The mindset of being neutral, the mindset of overcoming, the mindset of coming through, the mindset of - I'm not going to let one play define my career was, to be honest, it changed my career. I think it changed my career for the better in terms of how I overcome obstacles, how I come through situations, how I get ready and be fully prepared. And I think, you know, that was a critical moment.
Russell Wilson: And I think that's where that alter ego kind of comes up, you know, a little bit You got to be a little bit unlimited when everybody else is telling you you're not this, you're not that, you know. Yeah, I'm going to prove you wrong. And so, you know, I think that's kind of been, I don't know if I want to say the chip on my shoulder. But I think that's been, you know, over the past six years or so of my career, that's been my drive every day to know that, you know, every day I go about my business, every day I go about this opportunity, you know, is another great opportunity to just show up and to show people why.
Mr. Cat: So, I appreciate that. Because I do think you're genuine about it, and having that drive, I would have just quit, felt bad for myself, and complained about it for the rest of my life.
Russell Wilson: And that's a real option.
Mr. Cat: Yeah, I take it all the time.
Russell Wilson: And it can really mess people up. And I think it can affect players when you get to the championship and it doesn't go your way. You know, it's real. It can really mess you up. But I wasn't going to let it affect my mindset. I wasn't going to let it affect my career. I was actually going to use it to catapult my career.
Mr. Cat: So with all that said, though, be honest, how many times just randomly in, let's say, a given year, does it just pop in your head and you're like, damn, we should have run. It's not holding you back, you're Mr. Unlimited, but honest, just driving down the highway randomly in the middle of August, it was just like, boop, pops in your head. Because that happens to everyone. How many times?
Russell Wilson: It doesn't really pop in my head, honestly.
Mr. Cat: Come on! Come on, Russ.
Russell Wilson: I think the first year it pops in your head almost every day. But I think, you know, now, you know, for me, I've trained my brain every day to know that stuff's going to happen. It's a long, it's a tough journey. And the role that I play, the position that I play, there's going to be stuff that happens along the way. So, honestly, I don't think about it. The only time I think about it is when someone either asked me, or when you watch the Super Bowl, they'll show a clip, and alright, thanks, I get it.
It's always nice to get the behind the scenes of what went through a player's mind during what was probably one of the most notable mistakes of his career. But as Wilson mentioned, he turned it into a positive and still continues to ball out five years later. We'll see if Mr. Unlimited and the Seahawks get another chance at the Super Bowl in about eight weeks.