South Florida Sun-Sentinel Palm Beach (Sunday)
Not on Wilson’s list
Seahawks QB doesn’t list Miami as a preferred destination if trade happens
Despite the Miami Dolphins being one of the early odds-on favorites to land Russell Wilson should he become available, they reportedly aren’t among the short list of teams that the Seattle Seahawks star quarterback would consider playing for.
According to ESPN, Wilson’s agent, Mark Rodgers, said Wilson has not yet requested a trade, but, if a trade were considered, the only teams he would play for are the Dallas Cowboys, New Orleans Saints, Las Vegas Raiders and Chicago Bears.
Previous reports listed the Dolphins and New York Jets as possibilities. But according to the Chicago Tribune, citing a source,
Wilson would not be interested in joining the beginning stages of a rebuild with the Jets and is not interested in the Dolphins because of the feeling that South Florida can be a distraction for players.
The Athletic reported Thursday on the growing divide between Wilson and the Seahawks.
After the eight-time Pro Bowl selection expressed frustration earlier this month over the amount of times he’s been hit and that he would like to be more involved with the franchise’s personnel decisions, the Raiders (+450) emerged as the frontrunner to obtain the superstar’s services, according to PointsBet.
The Dolphins (+1,200) also were in the mix, having the eighth-best odds of being the next team Wilson would play for.
Although it’s still unlikely that Wilson, 32, will be traded anytime soon, his recent comments fueled speculation that he could be on the move and also raised questions about his future with the Seahawks. Several teams have inquired about the availability of Wilson since he publicly aired his grievances.
“I think that the reality is that I’ve definitely been hit,” said Wilson, who has been sacked 394 times in nine seasons with the Seahawks. “I’ve been sacked almost 400 times, so we’ve got to get better. I’ve got to find ways to get better too. ... I’m frustrated with getting hit too much. I’m frustrated with that.”
His sack total is the most for any quarterback in his first nine seasons dating back to 1970, according to Pro Football Reference.
Despite being sacked 47 times this past season, he set career highs in completion percentage (68.8) and touchdown passes (40) while leading Seattle to a 12-4 record. He threw for 4,212 yards — the fourth time he threw for more than 4,000 yards — and added 513 yards rushing. He also threw a career-high 13 interceptions. people they know or those recommended by somebody in their professional network.
Getting inside that network is the first step but not the most challenging one, said Eric Coleman, senior associate athletic director for academics and student development at Florida Atlantic University.
Coleman, who has been an an academic counselor since 2007 and aspires to be a Division 1 athletic director, said Blacks are hired by colleges in academic or student services because their ability to relate to Black athletes helps the school improve its academic progress rate — the measure used to ensure college athletes are also performing academically.
“But then we kind of get stuck here,” he said. “They don’t look at us as viable options to become athletic directors.”
Coleman said many Blacks look to Division II and Division III schools, the lower tiers of college athletics, to get athletic director jobs.
Renae Myles Payne, the University of Miami’s senior associate athletic director and chief diversity officer, said when hiring top-level people, universities look to those with experience in the three Fs — fund-raising, finance and football.
Myles Payne recently attended a meeting of 130 athletic directors, who developed 10 things schools can do immediately to improve diversity and inclusion. One idea is tethering financial incentives to institutions that make diverse hires.
UM is head of the curve in that respect with four Black administrators, including Myles Payne, on the senior athletics staff. Oklahoma, according to Myles Payne, is the only other major school with more than two Black administrators.
Blacks, despite being qualified, aren’t usually promoted to leadership positions.
“At the college level, I think every top position is egregiously represented by women and people of color,” said Lapchick, who is also president for the Institute for Sport and Social Justice.
Progress has been made at the professional level of sports.
Lapchick said numerous leagues have requested race and gender report cards, including the National Hockey League and NASCAR.
He said the pros are ahead of colleges when it comes to inclusion, especially at the upper levels.
In 2019, South Florida was a picture of opportunity for Black decision-makers in professional sports. Chris Grier was serving as the Miami Dolphins’ general manager, Brian Flores was the Dolphins’ coach, and Michael Hill was serving as the Marlins’ general manager.
In November 2020, the Florida Panthers hired Brett Peterson as their assistant general manager, the first to hold that title in the National Hockey League.
Those aren’t normal situations, however.
Like Lapchick, Myles Payne believes voices of young athletes might be the key for building Black leaders in college athletics.
“I am encouraged by the student-athlete voice being more pronounced,” Myles Payne said.
“They’re going to be sort of like that human shield for the people of color that are working in athletic departments now because they’re going to say, ‘No, we want a Black mental health counselor because we need someone who can talk to us about these microaggressions that I’m dealing with every day in my classroom or when I walk to class.’ So they’re being very specific.”
Ultimately, Lapchick said, the change in hiring practices won’t come until those in charge are as willing to hire Blacks as whites.
“It’s not just about changing the numbers,” he said, “it’s about changing the climate.”