Why did Russell Wilson have Breonna Taylor’s name on his helmet? ‘I have a daughter’
Unfortunately, Russell Wilson has the choice of many names, many messages to wear as a decal on his helmet to honor the victims of social injustice.
For the Seahawks’ first game, he chose Breonna Taylor.
Why?
“I have a daughter. I have a beautiful 3-year-old daughter,” Seattle’s franchise quarterback said, thinking of his and his wife’s girl Sienna after he starred in his team’s season-opening win at Atlanta Sunday. “And when I think about everything that has happened in our country, it has been an emotional time. An emotional time where there is a lot of hate in the world a lot of disappointing things that are happening.
“And when I think about Breonna, I think about somebody who seemed to be a gracious person from what we hear and what we read—but also somebody who was just trying to be at home.
“What is going on in America is very real. It is a very sad thing. I think it important that we need justice for Breonna. We need people to step up and our leaders in our country to be able to step up and make a change for these types of situations, especially like those.
“When I think about my daughter, I get fearful. Because a young girl like Breonna having her life taken away is pretty difficult.”
Taylor, a 26-year-old Black woman, was killed in her home by police executing a no-knock warrant in Louisville, Ky., March 13. Her death, then that of Black men George Floyd under the knee of a white police officer in Minneapolis and Ahmaud Arbery while jogging in Georgia, caused a national furor this spring and summer. The killings renewed demands for social justice, for an end to racial inequality and police brutality in America.
Wilson has been one of the Seahawks most out front during the team’s lean into the ideals behind the Black Lives Matter movement and demand for change. In June, the team captain spoke passionately about his teammates’ intense discussions on race this offseason, and on his own experiences with racism.
Sunday, during his postgame Zoom online press conference minutes after one of the best games of his nine-year career, Wilson he did something rare even for the spiritual quarterback: he read verses from the Bible.
“I think about everything going on in the world, all of our faces may be different, but for me personally I pray that we can come together and love people better,” he said outside the visiting locker room at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. “For me, when I think about the Jesus I know I think about somebody who wants us to love one another.”
Wilson then looked down to read from his phone what he sees as verses most applicable to our society right now.
“I actually had pulled this up because I want to read it because I think it is important time in the world,” he said. “It is Jesus speaking. It is John 13:34-35, and this has been on my heart, honestly, all week.
“It says: ‘A new commandment I give you love one another. It says a new commandment I give you love one another as I have loved you so you must love one another. By this everyone will know you are my disciples if you love one another. I love that part where it says a new commandment, I give you love one another as I have loved you so you.’
“I think that is so important.”
Wilson then read another scripture he called “my other favorite that I have been praying over.”
“(It) is first Corinthians 13:4-8. it’s a love chapter in a way. It was read at our wedding, even.
“It says: ‘Love is patient. Love is kind. It is not envy. It is not boast. It is not proud. It is not dishonor others. It is not self-seeking. It is not easily angered. Not easily angered. It keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects. Always trusts. Always hopes. Always persevered. Love never fails.’”
Religion inside sports puts off a lot of people. So does race and sports, for that matter. Just look at the booing by fans in Kansas City during a moment of unity by Chiefs and Texans players on the field before the NFL opener last week.
Wilson’s words, the context of when and why he was reading and saying them, were extraordinary—as are the times in which we live.
“I think in the reality of life right now we are in a critical time, with a pandemic happening around the world, within America, to be honest with you,” Wilson said. “Black people being shot without carrying a weapon. These things are really happening and have been happening for years. To all the different things that are going on just in our country. You know, there are wildfires at home.
“And the reality is that this life is short.”
That’s a sentiment Wilson said last week, while mentioning again his appreciation for what he often reminds is one of only 32 such jobs in the world: being a starting quarterback in the NFL.
“We need to learn how to realize that this life is very fragile. It is very short. We never know,” Wilson said Sunday.
“It is our assignment, it is our duty for each one of us—no matter what we believe in or who we believe in—to do a better job of that. To do a better job at loving. Because that is what we can control. To control our inner circle. We can control our language we can control how we are around each other we can control how we teach our kids. We can control our loved ones and how we control ourselves.
“The change we want to see has to start with me. It has to start with you all. I think that is really critical along this journey.”
Yes, these are empowered Seahawks.
Coach Pete Carroll has emboldened them to speak out and stand strongly for what they believe in. The large majority of the team’s players Black, and they don’t believe in the America they’ve been seeing.
Carroll recently has had Sen. Cory Booker, a one-time candidate for the Democratic nomination for president, speak to the team about race in America, twice. Booker has encouraged the Seahawks use the platform they have to demand and act toward change.
Last week, Black Lives Matter movement co-founder Alicia Garza spoke to the team at Carroll’s invitation, during their preparations to play the Falcons. It was another remarkable team meeting during these remarkable times.
“We have to keep fighting,” Carroll said. “Things have been wrong for too long.”
This thinking from his coach is what led Wilson to have scriptures that ask for love called up on his phone during his press conference following Sunday’s win.
“I am proud to be a part of the Seahawks as we are going on this journey together as players, as an organization, as a coaching staff and everybody else,” Wilson said.
“It is a testament to knowing that love never fails. And it is important that we continue that.”
