It's not like Seattle Seahawks fans needed much to hate Russell Wilson, Super Bowl XLVIII winner, but this one may finally drag those who were on the fence over to the haterade bucket.

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The legacy of the Russell Wilson era in Seattle may be tarnished.

What an unexpected, unprecedented, unforeseeable fall for grace for Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson, the one-time darling of Seattle. How did the man who quarterbacked the Seahawks to their first Super Bowl victory become such a pariah?

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That was meant to be a rhetorical question but I'll answer it by saying it was mostly self-inflicted. Since the trade of Wilson to Denver, a lot has come out that had previously been unsaid for years. Most of this talk came from Wilson's former teammates, namely Marshawn Lynch and Richard Sherman. It must have felt good for Seahawks fans to not have to defend Wilson's manufactured cheese after so long. I always had the feeling whenever I watched him in interviews and especially in post-game interviews that I wasn't watching a real person. I was watching a person doing and saying what he thought was what everyone wanted to hear.

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Russell Wilson was closed off to his teammates.

Among the numerous reports, rumors, and otherwise was the fact that Wilson was unreachable for most, if not all, of his teammates. This was a trend he allegedly continued during his much-maligned first season with the Broncos. Apparently, the former Tri-City Dust Devil baseball player had his own office on the second floor of the team facility, a floor he shared with the front office and coaching staff. While he had an "open door policy," his teammates rarely took him up on it. It can safely be assumed that some type of unhealthy environment was present in Seattle due to Wilson. For years, we all believed everything Russell Wilson said and said he did. We allowed him to be what we believed was his authentic corny, robotic self. We also believed the bond between the 9-time Pro-Bowler and Pete Carroll was unbreakable.

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There was clearly a power struggle between Wilson and Carroll.

I can recall the season before Wilson was traded, how radio and TV sports talk show hosts were saying that maybe Carroll should be fired, making Seattle go all in on Russell Wilson. It may seem like a lifetime ago, but people thought that Seattle was better off without Carroll if it meant keeping Wilson. With Wilson barrelling out in Denver and Carroll's new quarterback, Geno Smith, winning the Comeback Player of the Year award, it seems that we have no idea what we're talking about sometimes. Because life has a sense of humor, the opposite was true and the strain between Wilson and Carroll was significantly worse than initially believed.

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Russell Wilson asked for Pete Carroll to be fired, according to the Athletic.

The Athletic reports their sources tell them that in February of last 2022, Wilson "placed his request to fire the coach and GM [John Schneider]."  It only took days for the Seahawks to start looking for a trade. The quarterback was hoping to fill the void left by Drew Brees in New Orleans, likely because he wanted to play for his recently-hired head coach Sean Payton.

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Broncos Country, Let's Hide

Russell Wilson was quick to deny the reports, saying that he viewed Carroll as a "father figure," adding that he would always have "love and respect" for Carroll and GM John Schneider and the city of Seattle. His tweet was quickly lampooned in the comment section as well as on various messaging boards.

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Whether or not this initial report is true, Russell Wilson should expect a chilly reception every time he visits Seattle. Who knows how long this will take for things to smooth over, if ever. A reunion of the Super Bowl XLVIII would certainly be awkward between Wilson and Sherman and Lynch. You throw Pete Caroll in that mix as well, whoo boy.

The Greatest Seattle Seahawks of All Time

After the trade of Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos, we can finally review his Seahawks legacy and career with totality. Where does Russell stand among the likes of Steve Largent, Walter Jones, and Kenny Easley? We are counting down the 25 greatest Seattle Seahawks players of all time.