Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson has no intention of watching an NFL game on the sideline for the first time in his career. Despite a knee injury sustained in Seattle's Week 3 win over San Francisco, Wilson is practicing this week—he has never missed a practice in his career—and he said he has "no doubt" he will be on the field when the Seahawks face the New York Jets Sunday.
"I feel great," said Wilson, who has started every game of his NFL career. "I feel great, feel strong. I practiced yesterday, practiced a full practice and everything like that. I'm excited about this week. It's obviously a very tough team. The Jets have great players, they're coached extremely well, so it should be a good game."
While Wilson has no doubt he'll play Sunday, it's just as important to him to be on the field with his team in practice, even though he knows the offense well enough that he would likely have no problem being ready for a game with a limited workload this week.
"Practice is everything," Wilson said. "Ultimately when you have your mindset on trying to be great every time you step on the field, you also have to have a mulish approach. I think that's just kind of the mindset you have to have. I'm grateful to play the game of football. Every day, like I say to you guys all the time, I have the best job in the National Football League, I have the best job in the world, I believe. That's to be the starting quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks. I'm grateful for that every day, so there's no such thing as days off."
As for the injury itself, Wilson takes the blame for the way it happened, noting, "I have to throw the ball away; that was on me more than anything else."
And now that it did occur, Wilson is showing off one of his best, and until now, underappreciated traits, the toughness and durability that has allowed him to be so durable throughout his career. Plenty of credit for that goes to Seattle's trainers and doctors, some of that is genetic, some of it is hard work, and some of it is, to use Wilson's word of the day, his mulish approach.
"I think ultimately it's in your mind, it's between your ears," Wilson said of playing through pain. "It's what you tell yourself. I think a lot of it is how you come back from adversity, on the field, off the field, just in life in general. Also just your will, ultimately how bad you want to play? You also have to be smart always, but I think a lot of it is self-talk.
"Ultimately, I love the game of football. I don't want to miss a day. Whether it's a game or practice, I don't want to miss a day ever. I think that's kind of my mentality and I have to do whatever it takes."
The Seahawks and Jets have played each other a total of 19 times, with Seattle winning 11. They'll meet again for Week 14 of the 2020 season at Lumen Field. Take a look back at previous matchups between the two teams.









Former Seattle Seahawk Steve Largent, right, congratulates New York Jets wide receiver Art Monk, left, after Monk broke Largentís record for consecutive games with a catch at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on Dec. 10, 1994. (AP Photo/Kevin Larkin)

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Quarterback Ken O'Brien (7), of the New York Jets, looks down field after getting a pass off, as Jacob Green (79), of the Seattle Seahawks, rushes him during game action at the Kingdom, in Seattle, Wash., Nov. 2, 1986. O'Brien completed 26 of 32 pass attempts for 431 yards as the Jets beat the Seahawks, 38-7. (AP Photo/Barry Sweet)

Wide receiver Al Toon (88) of the New York Jets eludes Terry Taylor (20) of the Seattle Seahawks and gains 19 yards on a pass from Jets quarterback Ken O'Brien during the third quarter in Seattle, Nov. 3, 1986. Offsetting penalties resulted in the gain being nullified however. Toon made nine catches in the game for 195 yards as New York beat Seattle 38-7. (AP Photo/Barry Sweet)









New York Jets quarterback Brett Favre (4) looks for room to pass against the Seattle Seahawks in the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 21, 2008, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

New York Jets quarterback Brett Favre is sacked by Seattle Seahawks defensive end Darryl Tapp, who is blocked by Jets offensive tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson (60) while Seahawks defensive end Baraka Atkins comes in from behind during the second quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 21, 2008, in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)






Seattle Seahawks' Josh Wilson tosses snow into the air and toward fans after intercepting a New York Jets pass in the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 21, 2008, in Seattle. The Seahawks won 13-3. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

Seattle Seahawks vs. New York Jets. NFL photos by Maurice Photo Inc.Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman (25)




