Tyler Lockett Says Seahawks Fans Should Cheer Russell Wilson in Return to Seattle
September 6, 2022
It's hard to predict how Seattle Seahawks fans will greet Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson on Monday night when he faces his former team for the first time, but Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett told reporters he believes Wilson should be given an ovation from the crowd that attends the season opener.
"I think that Seattle should cheer him on for everything that he's done—help bring a Super Bowl to this community, all that different type of stuff," Lockett said. "He's an amazing guy."
Wilson spent the first 10 years of his NFL career in Seattle before being traded to Denver in a blockbuster deal this offseason. The nine-time Pro Bowler owns nearly every Seahawks franchise passing record.
Lockett said he's not sure how the raucous crowd at Lumen Field will respond to Wilson the first time he's in front of them as an opponent, but he said he'll be excited to see his former quarterback with whom he played the first seven years of his career.
"I have no idea because I can't control what anybody else says or what anybody else does," Lockett said. "But I know that when I see him, I'll go give him a hug, talk to him ... wish him good luck not only in this game but for the rest of this season and for the rest of his career as we continue to talk outside of football and stuff like that."
Wilson reportedly appeared in a video tribute to retiring Seattle Storm star Sue Bird and received a mix of cheers and boos from the crowd at Climate Pledge Arena. Lockett said he believes fans need to have a better perspective on how they treat athletes who are simply doing what's best for their careers.
"At the end of the day, I get it—it's football, it's competitive," Lockett said. "You never want to see people leave, but you've got to understand that everybody has to do what's best for them, and that's what you have to be able to understand about this life is you have to cheer people on. You can't get mad that people go to another team and this, this and this."