‘Grateful’ Russell Wilson says goodbye to Seattle, ‘sad’ Doug Baldwin, Seahawks react

After the best run in Seahawks history, Russell Wilson has acknowledged he is leaving Seattle.

The 33-year-old franchise quarterback posted online on social media Wednesday morning his goodbye to the only professional sports city he’s known.

“SEATTLE, I love you. Forever Grateful,” Wilson posted on his Twitter account, with the sign-off: “#3.”

Wilson has decided his football legacy in Seattle stops here. He’s chosen to continue his pursuit of more Super Bowl wins in Denver.

He waived his no-trade clause and Tuesday decided to approve a trade from the Seahawks to the Broncos. The deal that shakes Seattle’s franchise and region brings the Seahawks five draft choices plus three players, including quarterback Drew Lock.

The trade had been pending Wilson officially signing the waiver on his clause prohibiting him from getting traded, and on him passing a physical examination with the Broncos.

Wilson’s words online Wednesday morning show that’s been done.

Expect both teams to first state they have “agreed to terms on a deal,” perhaps in the next day or two. The trade won’t be announced as officially complete until the start of the league year March 16.

Tuesday’s trade — plus the team’s doubly abrupt release of All-Pro linebacker Bobby Wagner Tuesday night that Wagner confirmed to The News Tribune — saddened many around the Puget Sound region.

Doug Baldwin is among those people.

“Yesterday was a sad day. End of an era. I’ll choose to remember only the good. Salute @DangeRussWilson @Bwagz” Baldwin wrote on his Twitter account Wednesday.

Baldwin was the former undrafted rookie wide receiver who joined the Seahawks a year before Wilson and Wagner did, in 2011. Together they won Seattle’s only Super Bowl title, at the end of the 2013 season. They came within 1 yard in the next Super Bowl of winning another.

They turned Seahawks football from four decades of mostly mediocrity into a championship franchise.

Defensive tackle Poona Ford had this reaction online to his Seahawks trading Wilson and releasing Wagner:

Pro Bowl safety Quandre Diggs had this reaction to a truly whirlwind day for Seattle: