“My dad was on his death bed essentially,” Russell Wilson recalls, his voice filled with raw emotion. This heart-wrenching memory marks the beginning of a story that would shape not just Wilson’s career, but his entire life philosophy. On a seemingly ordinary day in Rome, Georgia, in a Holiday Inn Express off Route 411, Wilson made a decision that would catapult him from a two-sport college athlete to an NFL superstar.

Wilson’s journey to that hotel room was a rollercoaster of emotions, marked by triumph and tragedy. In a candid conversation on “Not Just Football with Cam Heyward,” Wilson opened up about the challenging period that led to his pivotal decision: “It was a tough time because I was trying to make the football team. I was the fifth quarterback basically on the roster trying to make the team and trying to do all this stuff. At the same time, I also was playing football and baseball, had to go compete for the starting job and all these different things. And my dad was on his deathbed essentially because his prosthetic leg fell off, hit his head on the corner of a marble table, in a coma for three and a half weeks.”

This harrowing experience occurred during Wilson’s time at NC State, adding an enormous emotional burden to his already challenging dual-sport career. Despite the adversity, Wilson persevered, driven by his father’s unwavering belief in his potential.

Just a year later, Wilson would face another emotional rollercoaster. On June 8, 2010, he was riding high, drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the fourth round of the MLB draft. But the very next day, his world came crashing down as his father, Harrison Wilson III, lost his fight against diabetes.

Losing his dad left a huge void in Wilson’s life. Harrison Russell was also North Star to him, as well as being Russell’s number one fan and inspiration. He had been an outstanding footballer at Dartmouth College; thus, he always made sure that his son aimed high.

This piece of advice from a father would appear like a prophecy fulfilled, though the journey to Wisconsin wasn’t easy. That notwithstanding, despite the success he enjoyed in both baseball and football while still at NC State University, Wilson faced numerous challenges. His baseball career was beginning to take off, but something inside him still wanted to play on the gridiron. Then, things got even more complicated when NC State football coach Tom O’Brien announced that if Wilson returned for the next season, he wouldn’t be their starting quarterback anymore.

“My dad used to always tell me when I was young, I was about seven, eight years old, ‘Hey son, you need to check out this school, you know, Wisconsin.'” Wilson gushed today. This fatherly advice would prove prophetic, but the road to Wisconsin was paved with challenges. Despite his success in both baseball and football at NC State, Wilson found himself at a crossroads. His baseball career was taking off, but the gridiron still called to him. The decision became even more complicated when NC State football coach Tom O’Brien dropped a bombshell – Wilson would no longer have his starting quarterback position if he returned to the team.

Faced with this ultimatum; however, he found strength from words said by his late dad: “My dad, when I was young, he always inspired me,” Wilson stated in a 2019 ESPN interview. It eventually turned out that these words were enough to propel him into making a decision that would change everything forever.

How did Harrison Wilson’s words shape Quarterback’s journey?

The move from NC State to Wisconsin was not only a change of schools for Wilson but also a leap in the dark. He would be sacrificing a burgeoning baseball career and the four years he spent there. But Harrison’s words were ringing in his mind, spurring him on.

In Wisconsin, he found himself within an atmosphere that was custom made for his gifts. Badgers’ pro-style offense provided him with the perfect platform to demonstrate his skills. In no time, Wilson won over his teammates with his work ethic and innate ability to lead them. On “Not Just Football With Cam Heyward,” he had this to say about the roster: “Our offense, they had Ricky Wagner at left tackle, they had Travis Frederick at left guard, Peter Konz at center, they had Zeitler at right guard, and they had Havenstein as a right tackle.”

Wilson’s season at Wisconsin was nothing short of spectacular. He threw for a career-high 33 touchdown passes and a career-low four interceptions, completing an impressive 72.8% of his passes. The Badgers finished the season 11-3, a testament to Wilson’s impact on the team.

However, statistics aside and notwithstanding the wins achieved by Wisconsin quarterback Russell Wilson during the 2011 season that led many sports journalists to declare him one of college football’s best players in 2010; his journey from football novice/transfer player to top performer became a continuous testament to his father’s influence—Wilson felt every touchdown scored or pass completed was a tribute to what Harrison saw as potential .” On an Instagram post marking ten years after his dad died, Wilson wrote this message: “Dad, I miss you every day. You were and still are one of my greatest inspirations. You helped instill Perspective, Vision & Belief in me. 3 things necessary for not only success but overcoming.”

Wilson’s account is a vivid reflection of his loss becoming the impetus for professional growth. And so, in the wake of his father’s death, he was not discouraged – it made him even more focused. At this point, “Why not you?” shifted from being an inspirational quote to an active force propelling Wilson through the NFL.

As he grows with each passing game and now as a Pittsburgh Steeler, Wilson carries his father’s legacy around with him. The name of his youngest son is Win Harrison Wilson; it is a tribute to one man who believed in dreaming big and never shying away from challenges.

As such, it acts as a reminder that some of our biggest accomplishments are born out of our greatest losses. And for Wilson, the answer to his father’s question “Why not you?” has become clear – there’s no reason why not, indeed.

For additional inspiring stories from the NFL, check out BG12’s Dual Threat Podcast. Listen to Chris Gronkowski recount their pivotal moments that made them stronger players. Find out how football translates off the field.