Oh, Russ. What to do with you, mate. How quickly he's gone from loveable underdog to locker room nightmare. I guess that's what happens when you become a product of the spotlight, but at some point, he'll have to get back to the basics if he wants to keep his NFL dream kicking.
And that starts with being a good teammate.
Earlier in the season, when rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart was named the starter over Russell Wilson, the 22-year-old described him as a “special one.” The rookie signal-caller consistently spoke highly of Wilson and fellow backup QB Jameis Winston, calling them great leaders and mentors. So much for that.
Jason La Canfora of SportsBoom US shared details of Russ' behavior after his benching, suggesting he was more pain in the you-know-what than any kind of veteran presence -- and it's not all that shocking when peeling back the curtain:
"Wilson, 37, repeatedly tried to force his way out of New York last season when rookie Jaxson Dart became the face of the franchise, things got very awkward behind the scenes and it’s yet another reason why teams are treading very lightly with a player who once seemed to be on a Hall of Fame trajectory."
Russell Wilson isn’t making this easy on himself right now
The 37-year-old was benched three games into his Giants tenure. It ended almost as quickly as it started. After opening the season 0-3, and looking like the Russ Bus ran out of gas, then-head coach Brian Daboll turned to Dart, who won his first start against the playoff-bound Chargers.
It’s understandable that Russ was hurt by the decision. Egos are what they are. But the whole “great teammate” act doesn’t really hold up if the reporting says something completely different.
When asked if he would demand a trade after the benching, Wilson played the great teammate role and downplayed any frustration, saying he wants to be here, that he loves this organization, and that he wasn’t going to give up on the Giants or the season.
Huh.
That’s very different from Canfora’s report, which -- if true -- suggests that behind closed doors, he wanted to be elsewhere, it was anything but love for the organization, and that he absolutely gave up on the G-Men.
And not only did Russ reportedly make life difficult for the organization by being a sourpuss and trying to force his way out after being benched, but he also left Big Blue with a parting shot on the way out, telling the media that he played with a Grade 2 hamstring strain before their Week 2 game against the Cowboys -- something that could’ve opened the door to an NFL investigation.
Mr. Unlimited Excuses shared that he didn’t share the information with anyone “because of the circumstances.” It felt like a pretty convenient thing to bring up after the fact, likely doing his best to throw cold water on the idea that “Let Russ Cook” is just... cooked.
He had an unceremonious ending with the Denver Broncos, and now with the Giants. At some point, it stops being a coincidence. Russ has become a my-way-or-the-highway guy, and it's making it impossible to work with him. It's now the Dart and Winston show in East Rutherford, and the locker room is better for it. It's all about propping Dart up, and if you're not with it, be gone.