Firmly Establish and Maintain Leadership Role

NFL teams lucky enough to have a Pro Bowl quarterback on their roster expect their QB to be the leader of the team. Over the first half of his NFL career, Russell Wilson was known as one of the true leaders in Seattle’s locker room. Wilson’s teammates had nothing but positive things to say about their starting quarterback; nor did the media, as publications like Forbes and Entrepreneur published glowing articles on Wilson’s exemplary leadership skills and his willingness to take responsibility for his actions, even after failure.

However, everything changed in Seattle’s locker room after Wilson’s infamous interception in the closing seconds of Super Bowl XLIX, even though it took a while for many players to admit it publicly. A year later, we learned that Wilson’s interception caused a division in Seattle’s locker room and a resentment for the QB, although players and coaches — particularly Carroll and Wilson — initially denied the claims.

One of the instigators of the Seahawks’ locker room problems was Sherman — the defacto leader of Seattle’s defense — who recently told reporters that the Seahawks “lost their way,” and stopped believing in both Carroll and the team’s offense after the interception. After Avril retired, he concurred with Sherman’s assessment, after calling the initial reports “fake news” while he was a member of the team.

Sherman’s exit leaves the Seahawks with a leadership void, but with the outspoken cornerback — and one of Wilson’s harshest critics — gone from the team, Wilson has a better chance to earn the trust of all of his teammates. Wilson needs to take the opportunity he’s been given to become the leader of the entire Seahawks’ team, and not just their offensive unit.

Next Page: Goal No. 3