Saturday Blitz
Fansided

Russell Wilson: NC State coach told me I won’t play in NFL

By Patrick Schmidt

Jan 31, 2016; Honolulu, HI, USA; Team Irvin quarterback Russell Wilson of the Seattle Seahawks arrives prior to the 2016 Pro Bowl at Aloha Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 31, 2016; Honolulu, HI, USA; Team Irvin quarterback Russell Wilson of the Seattle Seahawks arrives prior to the 2016 Pro Bowl at Aloha Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

Russell Wilson gave the commencement speech at Wisconsin where he attended after transferring from NC State and spoke about the reasons for transferring.

Russell Wilson was a three-year starting quarterback at NC State where he led the ACC in touchdowns each year, but his former head coach Tom O’Brien wasn’t a big believer.

It has long been suspected that Wilson transferred from NC State because O’Brien didn’t like that Wilson was playing minor league baseball and not committing himself to the Wolfpack.

Turns out, that was only part of the reason why Wilson transferred to play for the Wisconsin Badgers as Wilson elaborated on what led him to Madison as he delivered the commencement speech at Saturday’s graduation.

Related Story: 20 Best NFL Players from ACC Teams

“The summer before my senior year of college, I’m playing minor-league baseball. I called my football coach at NC State and said, ‘Hey coach, I’d like to come back for my senior year. He told me I wasn’t coming back,'” Wilson said, via ESPN.

“He said, ‘Listen son, you’re never going to play in the National Football League. You’re too small. There’s no chance. You’ve got no shot. Give it up.’ Of course, I’m on this side of the phone saying,’So you’re telling me I’m not coming back to NC State? I won’t see the field?’ He said, ‘No son, you won’t see the field.’

“Now, this was everything I had worked for and now it was completely gone. If I wanted to follow my dream, I had to leave NC State. I had no idea if I would get a second chance somewhere else.”

We suspected Wilson was pressured to leave because of his minor league baseball career, but for O’Brien to literally tell him to give it up if he wants to see the field while simultaneously telling he has no shot of playing in the NFL is among the very last things a coach should ever tell a player.

More saturday blitz: 20 Best NFL Players from Big Ten Teams

Wilson had his doubters when it came to playing in the NFL because he’s only 5-11, but for the coach, who is supposed to be his biggest supporter figuratively chopping him down at the knees is uncalled for.

Coaches need to give players the harsh truths and realities that they may be unwilling to see or unable to see, but this is just an awful look that Wilson paints of his former coach at NC State.

Home/ACC