Since he was drafted by the Seahawks in 2012, Russell Carrington Wilson has set the NFL on fire. And while the league has no shortage of superstars, there isn’t another dude quite like Wilson. A two-time Pro Bowl quarterback who seems to break a different record every week, Wilson gets it done both on the field and off it. When he’s not breaking a linebacker’s ankles with one of his juking runs, he’s spending time at the Seattle Children’s Hospital, where he volunteers regularly. He’ll forever be worshiped in Seattle for delivering the franchise’s first Super Bowl title, but fans adore Russell Wilson, both the player and the man. He’s smart, never finds himself anywhere near off-field trouble, and most importantly, he’s a winner.
The story of Russell Wilson didn't start at the pre-game handshake with Peyton Manning in East Rutherford, though. It started with a kid who found his faith in religion at a young age, could’ve had a career in Major League Baseball, and did big things on the gridiron with not one, but two colleges.
Today, Russell Wilson turns 26—hard to believe, we know—and in celebration of his birthday we took a deeper look at the man beneath the pads and helmet. From the real reason he wears the number three to how his high school yearbook had it right from the start, check out 26 Things You Didn’t Know About Russell Wilson.