Fans in Denver couldn’t be happier with the new starting quarterback in town. On Thursday night Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson enjoyed courtside seats to a Denver Nuggets game with his wife Ciara as they close out the regular season before a playoff appearance. He even took the time to sign a few autographed footballs before launching them into the stands.
Then on Friday, it was time for Russ to cook up some more heat.
Taking advantage of the hottest new ticket in town, the Colorado Rockies invited Wilson, a former baseball player, to throw out the first pitch at their home opener. Let’s just say he started the game off with a strike. Unfortunately, the umps didn’t count it once the actual game got underway.
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Russell Wilson does have a baseball career, but not as a pitcher
Despite being a Super Bowl-winning quarterback, Wilson has never shied away from a chance to step on the baseball diamond. In college, while having scholarships to NC State and later Wisconsin, where he was the starting QB, Wilson also doubled as a second-baseman playing baseball.
Shortly after graduating high school, Wilson was drafted in the 41st round by the Baltimore Orioles in 2007. He didn’t sign with them, choosing to play baseball and football at NC State instead. Then in 2010, Wilson was selected much higher, in the fourth round by the Colorado Rockies, of all teams, where he did end up playing 32 games in Class A ball. Closing up a season in which he played 61 more games, Wilson let it be known his intention was to pursue football instead.
Wilson’s baseball rights were traded to the Texas Rangers in December of 2013, just months before he’d win his first Lombardi trophy. Despite going to spring training with the Rangers the following two seasons, his rights were then traded again, to the New York Yankees, who currently hold his rights.
Wilson grew up a Yankees fan, so it’s only fitting he’d make his way to the Bronx. In fact, Wilson also spent some time in spring training in New York back in 2019 and even made it into an exhibition game where he got an at-bat. Unfortunately, he struck out, but still, facing major league pitching after focusing on an entirely different sport for much of his career had to be a fun day at the plate.
While it would have been fun to see Wilson see some more time in pinstripes, or playing baseball in any capacity, he obviously made the right call in making football his first career choice.
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