Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson is speaking out about domestic violence and addressing his own past as a bully.
"I threw kids against the wall. I rubbed their heads in the dirt at recess. I bit them. I even knocked teeth out," Wilson wrote in his first article as senior editor for "The Players' Trubune."
The website was launched last week by newly retired New York Yankee Derek Jeter to serve as a voice for professional athletes.
"When I look back at beating kids up on the playground, I don’t like that image," Wilson continues.
He credits his faith for turning his life around at 14. The "recovering bully" says acknowledging something difficult is instrumental in fixing society's issues, including recent incidents of domestic violence involving players in the league.
"Every day, up to 10,000 Americans are turned away from shelters due to lack of resources," Wilson writes. "...[T]he more that we choose not to talk about it, the more we shy away from the issue, the more we lose."
Wilson hopes his Pass the Peace initiative will help victims of domestic violence receive the "physical, emotional and financial support and care" they need.
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The reigning Super Bowl champions will face the Washington Redskins in D.C. Monday night at FedEx Field. Wilson and the Seahawks are 2-1 and coming off a bye, while the Redskins are 1-3 and looking to rebound from a 45-14 loss to the New York Giants
