ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Just 10 days after Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson had worn a wristband with a play sheet on it in the team’s win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in London, he was asked Wednesday about any hesitation he might have had to wear one during his time with the Seattle Seahawks.
In an appearance with Seattle Sports 710 AM on Monday, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll praised quarterback Geno Smith for wearing one this season to make playcalling more efficient. Carroll said there had been “resistance to that, so we didn’t do that” in the past and while Carroll did not refer to Wilson by name, Wilson missed only three games at quarterback for the Seahawks in the previous 10 seasons.
“I don’t know exactly what he said, but [we] won a lot of games there without one on my wrist,” Wilson said before practice. “I didn’t know winning or losing mattered if you wore a wristband or not. I think I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure that we’re rolling, and moving, and everything else. The few times I’ve definitely worn a wristband depending on the game plan, what we’ve got called and all that stuff.”
Wilson wore a wristband in the Broncos’ 21-17 win over the Jaguars on Oct. 30 at Wembley Stadium. Wilson was 18-of-30 passing for 252 yards and a touchdown.
It isn’t the first time Carroll has taken a not-so-veiled swipe at his former quarterback. After the Seahawks’ 17-16 victory in the season opener, Carroll said on Seattle Sports 710 AM that the Seahawks wanted to force Wilson to move to his left before he threw and that “it’s hard for him numbers-wise and all that.”
Wilson threw for a season-best 340 yards in that game with a touchdown.