Russell Wilson has a fan in Robert Griffin III.
That much was clear on Sunday night as the 2012 NFL Rookie of the Year took to social media to comment on Wilson’s season debut with the Pittsburgh Steelers. And in doing so, Griffin took a shot at some members of the media for behavior that he said has been “unprofessional.”
“So happy for Russell Wilson. So many analysts flipped on him. I mean openly and unprofessionally rooting against him being successful in Pittsburgh,” Griffin wrote. “Creating false narratives about him, questioning his blackness as if one version of black is better than another, attacking his leadership. When all he has done is be himself and handle himself like a pro. It’s been disturbing to watch.
“It’s not because Justin Fields is better right now. Russell just lead the Steelers to a dominate win over the Jets in his first action of the season. He was more efficient, moved the ball better, led them to the most points scored all season and had a higher passer rating. It’s so much deeper than performance for some. Is it his personality? Who his wife is? The fact that he is a great father in a blended family? Whatever it is, it’s wrong, lame and I’m glad Mike Tomlin had the balls to say F all that and start the Super Bowl winning QB.”
So happy for Russell Wilson. So many analysts flipped on him. I mean openly and unprofessionally rooting against him being successful in Pittsburgh.
Creating false narratives about him, questioning his blackness as if one version of black is better than another, attacking his…
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) October 21, 2024
While it’s unclear which members of the media Griffin was taking aim at, the Steelers’ decision to bench Justin Fields in favor of the former Seattle Seahawks star was a polarizing one. That, however, had more to do with Pittsburgh being 4-2 than it did any specific criticism of Wilson.
Nevertheless, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin stuck to his guns, starting Wilson in Pittsburgh’s Week 7 matchup against the New York Jets. And the decision paid dividends, with the nine-time Pro Bowl selection helping lead the Steelers to a 37-15 victory.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.