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Russell Wilson roundly booed by Seahawks fans in return to Seattle with Broncos

Jason Owens
Staff writer
·3 min read
387

Russell Wilson delivered nine winning seasons, eight playoff appearances, nine playoff wins, two NFC championships and a Super Bowl victory during his 10-year tenure with the Seattle Seahawks.

It was easily the most prosperous run in the 47-season history of the franchise. When he returned to Seattle on Monday for the first time as a visiting player, now with the Denver Broncos, he was greeted with a chorus of boos from Seahawks fans as he took the field for pregame warmups prior to the Seahawks' 17-16 victory.

Seriously, the boos were loud and unmistakable — from the confines of the press box.

The boos continued during pregame introductions.

They carried on when Denver's offense took the field for its first possession.

Of course, the vocal chorus who made their voices heard Monday night don't represent all of Seahawks fandom. The fans who didn't boo obviously didn't cancel out volume of the ones that did. Wilson, meanwhile, was seen interacting with fans in the stands who were sporting Broncos and Seahawks gear alike before the game.

Pete Carroll on Wilson's receptions: 'I’ll leave it up to the 12s'

But still. That's a lot of fans intensely voicing their displeasure at the sight of a franchise icon. Were they doing so at the behest of Pete Carroll?

The Seahawks head coach addressed Wilson's return last week in the leadup to the season-opener against the Denver Broncos, who traded for Wilson this offseason. He certainly didn't suggest that fans don't boo Wilson. Here's what he said when asked what kind of reception Wilson should expect in Seattle:

“It’s game time and we are going for it, so however they take it, I will follow their lead on that. I’m not going to be involved in that opportunity to react, so I don’t have to make that decision. We will see what happens. I’ll leave it up to the 12s, I think they will know exactly what to do.”

“You are either competing, or you're not," Carroll told reporters on Thursday. "I’m leaving it up to the 12s.”

The 12s, in this instance, are the fans.

Pete Carroll said last week that he'd leave Wilson's reception in Seattle
Pete Carroll said last week that he'd leave Wilson's reception in Seattle "up to the 12s." Is this what he asked for? (Jane Gershovich/Getty Images)

Is this what Carroll asked for?

While Wilson is a bonafide franchise hero, his departure from Seattle wasn't exactly an amicable one. Trade rumors, media sniping and reports of conflicts with management swirled around his final seasons with the team. The wound is fresh; meanwhile, a football game was at stake on Monday.

Time allegedly heals all wounds. This one clearly needs some more.