Steelers QB Named Sexiest Man of the Moment
PITTSBURGH -- Pittsburgh Steelers' new quarterback Russell Wilson has repping the cover of ESSENCE magazine, being named their second "Sexiest Man of the Moment."
ESSENCE selected Wilson as the May/June cover, diving into his football career, faith and entrepreneurship. The magazine is set to drop on April 23.
"Throughout his storied tenure in the NFL, Russell Wilson has achieved unimaginable success on the gridiron. With a dynamic skill set and unique leadership qualities, he has established himself as a preeminent figure not only in football but also in entrepreneurship, philanthropy and entertainment. By refusing to let conventional restrictions box him in, Wilson has helped to break the mold of what the modern sports star can be. In the process, he’s blazed a new trail for Black athletes for generations to come," Essesance wrote.
Throughout the story, Wilson touches on the work he's done off the field and in the community and how much he enjoys other succeeding. He dove into the minority quarterbacks who have come after him and how watching them grow has not only pushed him but brought joy to his life by seeing other achieve greatness.
"For me to be able to go to back-to-back Super Bowls, and win one of them, I think opened up a lot of doors,” Wilson said. "Now you see guys like Patrick Mahomes who won it; it’s really just us so far, but there’s more to come.” The emergence of quarterbacks like Mahomes, Jalen Hurts, Lamar Jackson and C.J. Stroud, to name a few, is indicative of a new era in football and a glimpse into what the sport is trending toward.
"What I love to see is guys getting drafted early, and that a lot of teams these days have Black quarterbacks playing for them,” Wilson says. “It’s all across the league, and it’s showing how the National Football League is starting to evolve, change and break down barriers. I think one of the biggest blessings of my career so far is that I’ve been fortunate to be able to open up doors for others, because of what others did for me."
He also spoke on joining the Steelers.
"To play 13 years in the NFL has been a dream come true,” Wilson told the magazine. "To be able to play for Mike Tomlin; to stand side by side with him and try to accomplish all the goals that I want to accomplish with the Steelers organization, and what that represents for the NFL, is one of the greatest gifts in the world."
Wilson is set to compete with Justin Fields for the Steelers' starting job this offseason but will be in "pole position" to win the competition.