The man who threw the intercepted pass opened up about the defeat
If Malcolm Butler was the hero for the New England Patriots when they lifted the Superbowl, Russell Wilson was very much the victim. The Seahawks QB threw the pass that was intercepted as the then champions trailed 28-24 and were just one yard from the line.
Media and fans were aghast at Wilson’s decision (admittedly given from the sideline) to pass instead of handing off to Marshawn Lynch, but if they were feeling bad, it wasn’t anything compared to the man who was so close to leading his side to back-to back Super Bowl wins.
In a video message for the Players’ Tribune, Wilson reveals how he’s coping with the defeat and it makes for tough viewing. It just shows how much top level sports people are affected by their mistakes and that, you know, they’re human too and criticism hurts.
It’s a fascinating watch even if you’re not a fan of NFL just for its openness and honesty. It’s introduced with a short written piece by Wilson,
One yard. I’d be lying if I said I haven’t been thinking about that one yard for the past 17 days. Everyone wants to know how I feel. Well … it’s complicated. Walking off that field in Arizona and seeing disappointed Seahawks fans in the stands was anguish. How could I not feel like I let them down? I tried to be positive, but I’m not perfect. I have been away from the game for almost three weeks, trying to escape football and clear my mind. But the funny thing is, I’ve never felt hungrier to get in the weight room and the film room, and keep pushing until we get to Super Bowl 50.
How do I feel? I don’t know if I can fit it into a soundbite. I definitely couldn’t fit it into a 30-second Instagram video. So, after the Players’ Tribune roundtable event on Saturday, I had the camera crew stick around so I could talk it out. Sorry if it’s not perfect. There was no script here. I just wanted to talk directly to the 12s. This is for you.
