What to Know
- The Texas Rangers traded star NFL quarterback Russell Wilson to the New York Yankees for future consideration
- In a tweet Wednesday, Wilson said simply, "Thank you Texas ... Hello New York. Always said we'd be a Yankee Pops!"
- ESPN says Wilson won't pull a Deion Sanders and become a two-sport pro, but that he wants to keep up his passion for baseball
True, many on the East Coast got a fake tsunami alert on Tuesday. But a day later, a new tidal wave is approaching New York City -- and this one's for real.
Seattle Seahawks' star quarterback Russell Wilson, who defeated the Broncos to win the Super Bowl in an improbable victory in just his rookie year in the league, has been traded to the New York Yankees -- but not by the Seahawks.
The Texas Rangers baseball club announced Wednesday they traded Wilson, who was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 2010 MLB draft and played two years of professional baseball for various affiliates before announcing his intention to move to the NFL in 2010, to the Yankees for future consideration.
The four-time Pro Bowler is expected to show up to the Yankees' Grapefruit League camp in Tampa, Florida, this month or next -- though you shouldn't expect him to suit up for all-star games on the diamond any time soon.
Wilson was picked up by the Rangers in 2013 and apart from two one-day appearances at their complex in 2014 and 2015, his name on the roster was mostly symbolic; the 29-year-old has long said he wanted to play for the Bronx Bombers. A source told ESPN the Rangers' general manager and Yankees' GM Brian Cashman have spent the last couple weeks trying to make that happen.
ESPN says Wilson isn't going to pull a Deion Sanders and become a two-sport professional athlete, but that he wants to keep up his passion for the game.
In a tweet Wednesday, Wilson said simply, "Thank you Texas ... Hello New York. Always said we'd be a Yankee Pops!"
The tweet linked to a longer statement in which Wilson thanked the Rangers for drafting him and giving him the chance to experience professional baseball again.
"While football is my passion and my livelihood, baseball remains a huge part of where I came from and who I am today," Wilson's extended statement read. "I’ve learned so much on the baseball field that translates to my game physically and mentally playing Quarterback in the NFL. I thank the Rangers and their great fans for making me feel at home and a part of the family! While I embrace the chance to be a New York Yankee, I will forever be grateful to be a part of a world class organization like the Texas Rangers."
CORRECTION: This story has been updated to reflect the year Wilson won the Super Bowl, and against which team.
