Russell Wilson Opens Up About The ‘Gift’ Of Being A Stepfather And The List That Led Him To Ciara

RUSSELL WILSON: The Climb To Winning | I AM ATHLETE Podcast

“Right before I met [Ciara], I wrote out my five non-negotiables,” Wilson told the host, I AM ATHLETE. His list detailed his future wife to be “a woman of faith,” a woman that was faithful, had her own identity and her own dreams, someone “that was going to love me the way my mom loved my dad on his deathbed, when he was at his lowest," and most notably "a woman who would tilt the room," which he explained as a woman that "when she walked in the room, all the furniture would slide her way... because of who she is and the woman she is."

“... And so I prayed about that … I wrote it out actually on a napkin at dinner,” he continued. “... Three days later I meet [Ciara]."

After developing feelings for the “Crush” singer, Wilson was then introduced to Ciara’s son, Future Zahir Wilburn, and soon felt a divine calling to step in and become a stepfather to the Future.

Russell Wilson on Meeting Ciara’s Son Baby Future for the First Time

"When I walked in the room and I saw, you know, little Future — he's nine months at the time or whatever — he crawls in my lap and it was like, you know, this is going to be my responsibility," Wilson recalls to the hosts. "I remember leaving that night and God said, saying to me, 'Raising this child it's going to be your responsibility.' I prayed to God, asking 'Are you sure this is what you want me to do?' He said, 'Son, this is for you.'"

Although Wilson found the initial notion of stepping into a father-figure role to be scary, he saw it as an opportunity aligned with God's plan.

"Yeah, I think scary in just the sense of, not scary but it was just more so an opportunity, like, 'Okay God, this is what you want me to do?' You know stepping in to raise a child with Ci and this and that and realizing ok God I know she's the one for me but also I'm going to take this responsibility as well…” the Super Bowl champion shared.

Russell Wilson On the 'Gift' of Being a Father

“I was ready for that," he added, “...What a gift.”

He continued, "Even Jesus himself, like Joseph, he was a stepdad. I was like, 'Okay.' He wasn't biologically his. So okay God, you're going to give me this opportunity to love the way that you were loved, the love that you want us to love."

Wilson and Ciara married in July 2016 and a year later, their first child, Sienna Princess Wilson, was born. The couple then welcomed their second son, Win, and in December 2023, they celebrated the arrival of their third child, daughter Amora.

For Wilson, the greatest gift is to be able to raise children with Ciara and be a beaming example of what a loving and present father — and husband — can be.

“When you’re raising children… you’ve got to love every single child as if they’re yours,” he said. “That's been the greatest gift of raising Future, Sienna, Win, and now Amora. It’s like, man, God gave me that opportunity to raise them and to love them and to care for them… And there's no difference.”

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