For someone who spent a decade with the Seattle Seahawks and helped the franchise win its first Super Bowl, Russell Wilson sure seems to be unpopular in the Emerald City.
Since the Seahawks traded Wilson to the Denver Broncos last year, he has become one of the most heavily-criticized players in the entire league. Former players, current players, announcers, even Patrick Star from SpongeBob Squarepants (yes, really), just about anyone around the game has slung some mud at the 34-year-old quarterback. The fact that Seattle improved after Wilson's departure certainly didn't help his case.
Perhaps no group has been more critical of Wilson than his former Seahawks teammates, with stars such as Marshawn Lynch and Richard Sherman not holding back on him. However, former defensive lineman Cliff Avril has been one of the more sympathetic ex-Seahawks in regards to the controversial quarterback.
“For me, I never had an issue with Russell Wilson or the offense ... I think is unfair to Russ because he just plays the position that that allows," Avril said in an interview with Heavy. "But overall, I never had any issues with any of the guys.
“I do think there might have been some beef here and there. But honestly, what family doesn’t have that type of stuff? And what we had, we were definitely a brotherhood. We were definitely family members, and we had clashes from time to time.”
This isn't the first time Avril, who played in Seattle from 2013 to 2017, has come to Wilson's defense. In February, the former defensive lineman took to Twitter to call out the many who were criticizing Wilson for unjust reasons, at least in Avril's eyes.
"I usually stay out the way and stay in my own lane but it’s tough watching people go in on someone every year and he never defends himself so things keep stacking up," Avril tweeted. "It’s unreal! Personally, as a teammate and a man have never had any issues with how he’s moved."
Wilson may still be a controversial player in Seattle, but there's at least one former Seahawk who still believes in him.
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