Ryan Clark usually finds a way to make a thoughtful comment on most any sports topic, often putting a literary twist on things to drive home his point.
Such was the case Friday on The Pivot podcast. Clark and his colleagues talked about Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson’s career renaissance this year under head coach Mike Tomlin.
Some analysts might just say, “Mike Tomlin has been a good, positive influence on Russell Wilson.”
Clark unleashed this beauty: “Russell Wilson found his Russell Wilson.”
The longtime Steelers defensive back, who won a Super Bowl with Tomlin, went on to explain that thought.
“To me, Russell Wilson found his Russell Wilson,” Clark began. “Russ mentioned that sometimes people think his positivity is fake. But he’s like, ‘No, I just think positively.’ So does Mike Tomlin. And you come from a place in Denver where you had incompetence the first year in (former head coach) Nathanial Hackett and you had a coach (Sean Payton joined the Broncos in 2023) who truly didn’t want to be with you, you weren’t his pick, you weren’t the guy that … behaved in the way that he wanted you to behave.
“He didn’t have a connection to you, so he mistreats you, he beats you down, he embarrasses you publicly. And now you move to this new place where they’re like, ‘We value you.’ You move to a coach that is more than competent. And on top of being more than competent, he also embraces who you are. He’s not asking you to change and behave in a different way. … He’s asking you to become a part of this family.”
Clark admitted he thought that quarterback Justin Fields, acquired in an offseason trade from the Chicago Bears, should have been the starter over Wilson, who the team signed to a one-year deal. Fields began the season as the starter but Wilson assumed the role when he was healthy, and the Steelers are a surprising 9-3.
Russell Wilson has found his very own football version of the love & support he provides at home in Mike Tomlin.
“Russell Wilson has found his Russell Wilson”.
The @steelers QB was beat up for two years in Denver. First by the public as he endured Nathaniel Hackett’s… pic.twitter.com/Gq5yq4yHfU
— Ryan Clark (@Realrclark25) December 6, 2024
“Mike T has punched all the right buttons in this,” Clark said. “All he’s done is empower [Wilson]. … to me, he’s playing at a level that’s different than what he played in Seattle, but even better.”
And it all began, in Clark’s words, when Russell Wilson found his Russell Wilson. Clark’s been on a roll lately with the literary gems. He recently speculated Dallas Cowboys team owner Jerry Jones is tanking the team’s season to distract criticism for a quiet offseason. He then shared a story of an old Steelers teammate who missed curfew one night, and wrecked his car on purpose to cover for the misdeed.
“Right now, Jerry Jones has been wrecking this car (the Cowboys) on purpose this entire season,” Clark said.
[Ryan Clark]
About Arthur Weinstein
Arthur spends his free time traveling around the U.S. to sporting events, state and national parks, and in search of great restaurants off the beaten path.