Sometimes we get so caught up in the stats, that we forget why the greats are revered. One such veteran is Russell Wilson. He has been showing his talent in the league for more than a decade. And he has achieved everything. The QB has won the Super Bowl, been the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year, and 9 times Pro Bowl. But his skills are still unmatched and unparalleled.

The Steelers are set to battle against the Giants in their week 8 matchup at Acrisure Stadium. During his debut for the Black and the Gold, the seasoned signal caller threw a unique pass which had a lot of air under it. It has been named ‘Moon Ball.’ The pass was intended for the tight end Pat Freiermuth who first thought it was going far but it suddenly took a downward trajectory and landed just in front of him.

That’s the magic of Russell Wilson. Over the years, he has understood the nuances of offenses and playmaking. This enhances the effectiveness of the pass many times. A big advantage of such passes are that they eliminate the ground contest between the offense and defense, clearing the way for a completion in the area where it helps the O-line to convert it into touchdowns.

However, one person isn’t convinced that it is something of a wonder. That’s none other than the Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. He claimed the veteran QB has a great arm strength and ability, but downplayed the pass by adding that anyone who throws the ball upwards would gain air under it.

The unique thing about the moon ball is that Russell Wilson developed it all by himself.

Russell Wilson reveals the unique journey of developing Moon Ball

The moon ball pass has come a long way. He first started throwing such balls to his elder brother, Harry, in the backyard of their home. During his school football days, the quarterback started observing the trajectory of his passes. Over time, he managed to use his larger than usual hands for making such passes.

Now, after playing so many seasons, Russell Wilson’s approach behind throwing such passes has changed. While talking about his mindset, he said, “I’ve been definitely throwing it up to the moon for a long time, and let it come down and let them have a chance to make a great play. It takes a lot of reps.” There’s no denying that. Such unique passes aren’t a walk in the park.

After 7 weeks, the team is sitting at 5-2 win-loss record. They are on the top of their division, AFC North. In their conference, the Steelers are at 4th position. Hence, if they win today’s game against Giants, they would move one step closer to the playoffs. That would be a huge boost.