SEATTLE (WTVR) – NFL quarterback and Richmond native Russell Wilson opened up about his faith in God in a religious video called “Making of a Champion: Seattle Seahawks.” The video, produced by football players and coaches, features some Seattle Seahawks explaining their faith in God and encouraging others to find Jesus.
Wilson, 24, is in the midst of his second year in the NFL. He begins his portion of the video looking back on his earliest football memories.
“I’ve loved playing football ever since I was little,” Wilson said. “My first actual football game I ever played in, it was going into my 7th grade year. I got to play for the Tuckahoe Tomahawks in Richmond, Virginia. I went to my first practice, threw the ball around and people were just shocked with how far I could throw the football.”
After recounting his on-field success, Wilson transitions into why he is now devoted to Jesus Christ.
“When I was a young kid, I used to always go to church. My parents used to always take me. I knew about God, but I was always playing sports. I was kind of a bad kid growing up,” he recalled.
Then something changed.
Wilson said he was 14 years old and attending football camp at the University of Virginia when Jesus appeared to him in a dream.
“I had a dream that my dad passed away and that Jesus came into the room and he was basically knocking on my door saying ‘hey you need to find out more about me.’ So that Sunday morning I end up going to church and that’s when I got saved,” Wilson said. “It was that moment, when I realized dreams were really real, because my dad ended up passing away six years later. I think that got me through a lot of adversity. I used to beat up kids and fight kids and do stuff all the time, but I realized God had given me so much, so many talents. I want to give Him all the glory.”
Skip ahead to the 7:30 mark to watch Wilson discuss his faith in God
Wilson, an undersized star athlete at the Collegiate School in Richmond, North Carolina State University and the University of Wisconsin, said God has helped him defy the odds.
“God has given me this amazing talent to throw the football, even though I’m 5’11” and people said that I could not do it. Nobody can stop what God has for you.”
Wilson, who is active on Twitter, often tweets out Bible verses.
