Russell Wilson writes: ‘I was a bully, used to beat people up’
Russell Wilson is owning up to past mistakes.
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In a stunning editorial released Thursday, Wilson admitted to being a “bully” in his younger days, filled with anger that he didn’t know what to do with.
Wilson debuted the article on former New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter’s Player’s Tribune website. Wilson was named senior editor of the website this week.
In light of October being Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Wilson said he felt inspired to discuss his past and how he has changed to step up and defend those who can’t defend themselves.
Here is an excerpt from Wilson’s article:
"I used to beat people up. Truthfully, I used to beat people up a lot. Many of you readers probably think I have been Mr. Goody Two-Shoes my whole life, but honestly, I was a bully growing up. In elementary and middle school, I threw kids against the wall. I rubbed their heads in the dirt at recess. I bit them. I even knocked teeth out.I had a lot of anger that I didn’t know what to do with. Thankfully, I was saved by my faith when I was 14 years old, and was able to start living for others instead of just myself. But if you’ve ever been at the bottom of a pile with me, you know that I still have a bit of that bully deep down inside—just ask DeMarcus Ware—and I work hard to keep it there."
The editorial was certainly shocking to most fans who see Wilson as a man who wouldn’t harm a housefly, but everyone has a past and Wilson seems to have learned from it.
The point of his article was not to ‘fess up to old mistakes, but to inspire others that “there’s no excuse for violence off the field.”
Wilson was busy on his social media accounts Thursday morning and posted this tweet asking his followers to “pass the peace”:
Let's end Domestic Violence. I nominate #DerekJeter & @JTimberlake 2 join the @WhyNotYouFDN #WNYPassThePeace https://t.co/buOPphs5yf
— Russell Wilson (@DangeRussWilson) October 2, 2014
Domestic violence was brought to light in the NFL when the Ray Rice incident broke last month, but several other players have been investigated for similar violent acts since then and Wilson says, the violence needs to stop.
Wilson says he isn’t trying to change the world by himself, but he hopes he can inspire others to join the fight with him:
"I can’t fix the world. I can’t fix the NFL. I can’t change the guys around me. The only person I can change is the one in the mirror. I’m not a perfect person by any means. I’m just a recovering bully."