Russell Wilson no more: Seahawks assign No. 3 jersey to cornerback Artie Burns
The Russell Wilson era is long over, and the final nail in the coffin is the Seahawks giving away his old jersey number.
Former starting quarterback Russell Wilson was supposed to go down as a franchise legend.
And in many ways, he was. After nine Pro Bowls and a Super Bowl, Wilson's No. 3 jersey was supposed to be immortalized for no one else to wear for generations to come. But that doesn't appear to be the case.
Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times took note of the Seahawks' online roster that shows the franchise has taken the liberty of giving away the famous No. 3 which Wilson rocked for 10 seasons.
Shocking, after one season since the Wilson trade, the No. 3 has been assigned to cornerback Artie Burns.
Burns played in three games with Seattle last season, and in free agency, he signed a one-year $2 million deal with the Seahawks.
Some nuance is needed in understanding and analyzing why Burns is wearing the No. 3 jersey. With 90 players currently on the roster, there aren't many numbers available for taking. Last season, Burns wore No. 21. However, first-round draft pick, and fellow cornerback, Devon Witherspoon is apparently rocking that number this season.
There weren't any cornerback numbers left for the taking.
Still, it is a wait-and-see if Seattle will wear No. 3 once the regular season starts.
The Seahawks traded Wilson to the Denver Broncos last offseason. His legacy in the Pacific North West is already complicated. He was booed in his return during Week 1 of the 2022 NFL season. And after an underwhelming season from Denver, many trade truthers felt vindicated in the franchise's decision to move on from the face of the franchise.
Still, despite the complicated history shared with Wilson and the Seahawks, it is shocking to see the tea give away his number with such relative ease.
