Russell Wilson continues to prove he is all-in on Denver.
Friday afternoon, he took the mound at Coors Field to throw the Opening Day first pitch for the Colorado Rockies. He stepped out to a roaring ovation from fans.
Back where I started! June 8, 2010. #NewBeginnings pic.twitter.com/oRhjwdEtBu
— Russell Wilson (@DangeRussWilson) April 8, 2022
Unlike Peyton Manning’s disastrous first pitch at the MLB All Star-Game last year, Wilson managed to throw a fastball run down the center to new Rockies outfielder Kris Bryant.
The first pitch of tonight's All-Star Game was thrown by none other than the legend himself, Peyton Manning 🏈 pic.twitter.com/LYcl23Xskc
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) July 14, 2021
“I brought the heat today,” Wilson joked during an in-game interview. “I told Kris, I said, ‘Hey, I’m going to bring a little extra gas for you.'” Unfortunately, the Rockies would go on to lose to the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-3.
Before attending North Carolina State, and later the University of Wisconsin, Wilson was drafted into Major League Baseball by the Baltimore Orioles right out of high school. While he considered the offer, Wilson ultimately decided to go to college because, “A college education is something you’ll always have.”
Friday’s opener was not his first time in a Rockies jersey. Wilson was drafted in the fourth round as the 140th overall pick by the team in 2010 and signed for $200,000. As a member of the organization, Wilson finished .229/.354/.356 with five homers and 26 RBI. He also spent time in spring training the Rangers and the Yankees. Wilson’s last baseball emergence was a pinch-hit appearance in a 2018 Spring Training game.
Wilson’s Rockies visit is the latest in a long stream of Denver pop-ins he and his wife Ciara have made since being traded to the Broncos.
On Thursday night, they appeared courtside at a Denver Nuggets game.
Deep Ball. First of many! @Nuggets @Broncos #LetsRide pic.twitter.com/7CA2UHJCoH
— Russell Wilson (@DangeRussWilson) April 8, 2022
Speaking on what it’s been like for him to be in Denver, Wilson said, “It’s been electric, just pulling up and just the energy around this town, it’s really special. Obviously, we’ve got a very good baseball team, we’ve got a great basketball team, a great hockey team, and in terms of just football, I think there’s a special feeling in the air. So I’m excited about it. Just to know that everybody is hopeful, I think is also cool, too.”
Broncos Country has been eating up all of the Wilson in-person sightings, as well as his social media posts with his new teammates. With the NFL Draft just around the corner, it’s hard to imagine he’ll be slowing down the hype train any time soon.