When Russell Wilson took the mound at Pittsburgh’s PNC Park, tossing out the ceremonial first pitch before the Pirates’ 4-2 defeat by the Red Sox, he wasn’t just following some token tradition. For this NFL superstar QB, it was a chance to fuse his two sporting worlds – the gridiron and the diamond. Just like Patrick Mahomes professed baseball as his “first love,” Wilson’s journey has been a grand slam combo of pigskin and cowhide.

Speaking with the media, Wilson gushed, “I was hitting BP and I was looking at the background. It’s pretty amazing…I just love baseball. I love being in the ballpark…I just love playing the game. I, I, this is my first love when I was growing up, so, um, baseball means a lot to me. “ His affinity for America’s pastime runs deep, from being drafted by the Orioles to spending two minor league seasons swinging for the Rockies’ farm teams.

Crazy as it sounds, if Wilson had stuck to chasing his big-league dreams, he could’ve ended up a Bronx Bomber, as after leaving the Rockies system, the Yankees scooped up his rights in 2018, owning them to this day. He may have ultimately chosen the bright lights of the NFL, but those diamond days left an indelible mark on his athletic DNA.

Patrick Mahomes can surely relate with the love of baseball shared by his fellow QB The Chiefs’ signal-caller recently opened up about idolizing Yankees icon Alex Rodriguez’s legendary work ethic growing up…“One thousand percent, baseball was my first love…Even whenever I get to where I want, I can’t let the fundamentals slip,” Mahomes said, channeling A-Rod’s tireless grind.

For Wilson too, baseball has etched lessons that transcend sports – preparation, grit, and an unyielding drive for perfection. So when he strolled onto that pristine PNC Park grass, fresh off the Pirates’ lopsided loss, he wasn’t just a football celeb enjoying his chance on the baseball field, he appeared like he was home!

Russel Wilson’s hitting it off with Andrew McCutchen

Speaking of feeling at home, Russell’s Pittsburgh pit stop wasn’t just about knocking one outta the park. No! It was about rekindling a baseball bond with an old friend – former Pirates MVP Andrew McCutchen.

During warm-ups, Wilson and McCutchen shared the kind of diamond moments most fans only dream about. The two superstars swapped turns in the batter’s box, with Wilson even airing out a few arching passes to test McCutchen’s receiving skills.

“Hey, he looks like he could run a decent route if need be,” Wilson quipped about the veteran outfielder’s catching chops. “Still think he could be with Cordarrelle Patterson and him, you know, kick return and it could be pretty cool.”

The easy rapport was proof these two go way back, their lives once intertwined on the dusty backfields of MLB dreaming. For a moment, they were kids again – just ballers basking in the pure joy of the game they grew up obsessing over. With that, what do you think of the special moment and experience shared by Wilson?

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