The date was Feb. 2, 2014, and the bright lights of the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey lit the field where two teams battled it out to capture the coveted Lombardi Trophy. The team who won not only took home the trophy but also cemented themselves as the 2014 Superbowl Champions. 

The fans cheered widely in anticipation as they awaited the outcome of the game, but no one could have guessed the dominating performance that the Seahawks and second-year quarterback Russell Wilson asserted over the Denver Broncos and veteran quarterback Peyton Manning. 

The Seahawks came into the game as the underdogs and ended up crushing the Broncos with a final score of 43-8. Due to the team’s outstanding athletic performance, this win went down in the history books as the first game in which the winning team scored over 40 points and kept their opponent’s score below ten. 

Since Russell’s debut season and throughout his nine-year run with the Seahawks, he has appeared in one other Superbowl against the New England Patriots in 2015, competed in nine Pro Bowl games and was named a member of the second All-Pro team in 2019. 

In 2022, ten years after his initial signing to the Seahawks in 2012, Wilson is trading in the blue and green jersey for a blue and orange one. On March 16, 2022, Wilson’s trade to the Broncos was announced to the world. He is officially leaving the shining coast of the Pacific Northwest for the dry, yet beautiful, plains of Colorado. 

Many long-time Seahawk fans were shocked by the sudden trade news, but for some it was inevitable. There was public tension on the team between Wilson and the coaching staff that hinted to fans that Wilson was preparing to leave. 

Senior history major Archie Visintainer is upset that Wilson will be gone but believes the trade may be best for both Wilson and the team as a whole. 

“I have lived in Seattle pretty much my whole life, so I am a big Seahawks fan. Russell Wilson is like my favorite Seahawks player of all time, but it kind of sucks because he has been the face of the team since our Superbowl run,” Visintainer said. “But I do know that there have been some issues between him and coaching management lately. So, if he wanted out, I’d rather him be happy with the Broncos than be unhappy with the Seahawks.” 

Visintainer also believes that the move to the Broncos will be a positive change of scenery for his favorite former Seahawk. 

“My mom and my grandfather grew up Broncos fans so if there is any team that he would go to, I would definitely be okay with him going to them over anywhere else,” Visintainer said. 

Although it is not an amazing feeling for fans to watch players leave, especially Wilson and former Seahawk linebacker Bobby Wagner who was also released in 2022, Visintainer thinks this is a chance for growth for the Seahawks. 

“It is definitely time for a rebuild. Between Wilson and Wagner both getting released, I think it is going to be a rough couple of years but hopefully we get some good draft picks,” Visintainer said.

Additionally, many students agree with Visintainer. Sophomore nursing major Anna Eddy solidifies the belief that it may have been better for Wilson to leave for the future of the Seahawks organization. 

“I’m sad to see him go, but also happy that his contract is gone. He was limiting everything we were trying to do this year and we may be better off without him,” Eddy said. 

Freshman applied human biology major Kate Troutman is not a Seattle native and has no attachments to Wilson or the Seahawks. However, she believes the trade was a good decision not just for the Seahawks, but also for the Broncos. 

“I am originally from Colorado, but I am not really a Broncos fan either. However, I do think it was a smart move for the Broncos to take him for sure. It will be a fresh start for both teams,” Troutman said. 

Now that Wilson will be officially playing for the Broncos and will begin his first season with the team on Sept. 8, 2022, the main challenge for the Seahawks will be finding out who will replace him and which athletes will be a part of their team rebuild. 

“I’ve seen people saying that Baker Mayfield would be a good pick, and I feel like he would be better than Drew Lock, but I really do not know. If I had to choose, I would choose Mayfield,” said Visintainer. 

Although Mayfield is Visintainer’s pick to replace Wilson, Lock seems to be the most realistic pick. It is yet to be confirmed, but many fans and sports experts believe he will make the journey to Seattle as a part of the trade. 

In his last three years on the Broncos, Lock has not been a consistent quarterback. Lock played only six games in the 2021 season and only completed 60.4 percent of his passes. Due to Lock’s performance history, choosing him would be a risk for the Seahawk organization. 

However, the trade could also be transformative for the young player. He may not be a fan favorite or a solidified star, but he might just be the perfect pick for a team that is looking to rebuild and develop.