Russell Wilson Has Somehow Never Received a Single NFL MVP Vote, but He Might Just Win the Award in 2021
Despite having a stat-stuffing final season at the University of Wisconsin, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson fell to the third round of the 2012 NFL Draft. It worked out for Seattle, though, as the former Badger started the first game of his rookie season and hasn’t stopped since. Wilson has been one of the best, steadiest quarterbacks in the league since he entered it. Somehow, though, despite what he’s accomplished, the rather diminutive QB has never received a single vote for NFL MVP. He might just bypass that part altogether, though, and go out and win the whole thing in 2021.
Wilson is set up for success this season with a hand-picked offensive coordinator and one of the best wide receiver duos in the league. The Seahawks have been hard at work retooling what was once a dominant defense, and if it all comes together, Wilson could be holding the MVP trophy at season’s end.
Despite a career worthy of Canton, Russell Wilson has, incredulously, never received a single NFL MVP vote
The former NC State and UW quarterback fell to the 75th pick in the 2012 draft, mostly because of his size. He finished in the top 10 of Heisman voting his senior season in Madison after throwing for 3,175 yards, 33 touchdowns, and only 4 interceptions, completing more than 72% of his passes along the way. He’s still the best big-play threat Wisconsin has ever seen — he averaged more than 10 yards per attempt in 2011. As a dual threat, he rushed for 338 yards and 6 scores and even caught a touchdown during his senior campaign.
But the 5-foot-11 signal-caller was too short for most of the league. After being scooped up by Seattle in the third round, all Wilson has done is start every single game of his career (he’s the league’s active leader for consecutive starts by a quarterback) and bring the franchise a championship.
No MVP votes, though. Heck, even Wilson’s teammate, middle linebacker Bobby Wagner, got a vote in 2014.
Wilson will not only get votes, he might just win the MVP in 2021
Wilson himself started rumors that he wanted out of Seattle this past offseason, but he was never close to actually being traded by all accounts. Instead, the seven-time pro bowler was allowed input in hiring the team’s new offensive coordinator. In doing so, he helped bring aboard Shane Waldron, who most recently cut his teeth with Sean McVay and the Los Angeles Rams. That system is known to be quarterback friendly, and Wilson had plenty of positives to say about working with Waldron during the offseason, according to NBCSports:
“We’ve spent a lot of time together talking ball. I’ve had great conversations with him, several conversations along the way with him during the process. And I just really believe in him.”
Russell Wilson on new Seattle Seahawks’ offensive coordinator Shane Waldron
Along with Waldron, Seattle brought in the new OC’s tight end with LA, Gerald Everett, a player athletic enough to stretch the field down the seams. The Seahawks also drafted speedy home-run threat D’Wayne Eskridge out of Western Michigan in the second round to pair with one of the best wide receiver duos in the league in DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. Wilson will have more weapons to work with than he’s had in years.
Defensively, Seattle still has Wagner and just re-signed safety Jamal Adams but has been infusing the rest of that side of the ball with young talents like Jarran Reed, Benson Mayowa, Kerry Hyder, and Jordyn Brooks. Winning always factors heavily into MVP voting, so any help Russ can get from his defense will help.
Wilson has been perpetually underrated and is about to be given his due
Wilson dropped to the third round of the draft because, god forbid, he was under 6-feet tall. Even with his collegiate production over four seasons, including his final one with the Badgers (the best QB season in Wisconsin history), the 2019 All-Pro has been overlooked.
Even when he arrived in Seattle, Wilson was originally tabbed to back up Matt Flynn. How silly does that sound now? The 32-year-old has made a career out of exceeding expectations but is still after that ever-elusive MVP vote.
Maybe he just needs to take Cleveland catcher Jake Taylor’s advice from the movie Major League.
“I guess there’s only one thing left to do. Win the whole f—— thing.”
All NFL statistics courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference and college statistics courtesy of Sports-Reference.
