If you’re so inclined, you can pinpoint the start of Russell Wilson’s career decline to the days in and around his selection in February of 2021 as the NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year, the highest humanitarian honor the league bestows.
During the Super Bowl telecast in the wake of that award, Wilson was shown sitting between his wife, Ciara, and commissioner Roger Goodell, looking decidedly glum. He would say later that his discontent stemmed from frustration over the fact that it had been six years since the Seahawks had played in the championship game, and his intense desire to add multiple rings to his résumé.
Wilson started the 2022 season with a very heavy wallet. The veteran quarterback made all the headlines with his groundbreaking trade to the Broncos. Bringing him in, the Broncos hoped to have been a success story of 2022.
However, Wilson was average at best for his new side and the Broncos even missed out on the playoffs. At 5-12, they finished at the bottom of their division. Wilson wasn’t a good fit for the squad in his first year.
While he nurses his wounds this off-season, Wilson would have hoped for a peaceful downtime to focus on his comeback next season. However, to add to his miserable year, the star quarterback is in the news for a not-very-noble task. Wilson has been running the “Why Not You” Foundation for eight years.
His foundation works towards education, child health, and fighting poverty. The QB was accused of malpractices within his foundation and their funds.
In a recent report, Wilson’s Why Not You Foundation was charged of not staying committed to its cause. For every dollar the million dollar plus worth foundation earned, they were reported to have spent less than a quarter dollar towards charitable causes.
While it is a charitable organization, USA Today’s report suggests that the foundation spent only 24.3 cents per dollar earned towards charity. This data stands for both the 2020 and 2021 years combined.
With this being a huge red flag, Wilson’s reputation is on the line. The NFL star even received the Man of the Year award for his services to his community. While he is a people person, this sting operation comes in as a shocker.
Wilson countered this allegation with a self-shot video of himself. He released this video on his social media as a response to the allegations against him. He claimed that through partnerships with brands and the people that have supported them over the years, they have managed to raise over 10 million dollars.
WATCH:
Russell Wilson posted this now on social media regarding his “Why Not You” foundation. pic.twitter.com/XsLFmeReV0
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) February 11, 2023
According to him, they did not account for the money that went directly towards noble causes in their report. He reiterated that he felt blessed to be able to touch the lives of so many kids. Wilson wanted attention drawn toward these points too,
He concluded his video by saying, “We are going to keep learning, we are going to keep growing, we are going to keep getting better, but also too, we are going to keep serving.”
It doesn’t look like he is concerned about the allegations against him. However, he will hope there is a positive solution to this very soon so he can get back to focusing on his much-needed comeback on the field.
Watch the video report below for more details:
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