The battle for the quarterback throne in Seattle appears to be over. Head coach Pete Carroll announced on Sunday that Russell Wilson would start for the Seahawks in the first regular season game against the Arizona Cardinals. Wilson, a 3rd round draft pick out of Wisconsin, has surprised many by outshining the highly anticipated Matt Flynn in the preseason.
On his twitter page, Wilson posted “I am thrilled to get this opportunity” and thanked his coach, teammates and the Seattle fans.
While this decision may seem like an obvious one after the preseason games, Seahawks fans could not have predicted this scenario just a few weeks ago. Many assumed that Matt Flynn, the high dollar free agent Seattle acquired after he spent several seasons as Green Bay’s backup to Aaron Rodgers, would be the starter going into the season. Although Matt looked consistent in the first two games, it was the rookie quarterback Wilson who garnered national attention with his performance.
There’s no question that Pete Carroll made the right decision–Wilson won the battle hands down. What I love about Carroll is that he is letting Flynn, the highly sought and highly paid quarterback, sit on the bench while the rookie quarterback with a base salary gets to lead the Seahawks into their 2012 season. From his controversial draft pick (Bruce Irvin) to his quarterback battle, Pete Carroll is a coach who loves to takes risks. This is going to be a very exciting season for Seahawks fans!
