Seattle called a kneeldown, but Russell Wilson changed the play to get David Moore a $100,000 bonus
The second-to-last play of the Seattle Seahawks’ regular season was a strange play call. Now we know why.
WIth 22 seconds left, after Seattle recovered an onside kick, all the Seahawks had to do to seal a 26-23 win was take a knee. Instead, the Seahawks ran a push pass to receiver David Moore on a jet sweep. Russell Wilson pushed it forward to Moore, who got credit for a catch. Announcers were flummoxed. Pete Carroll was shown on the sideline looking upset and confused before shaking his head and breaking into a smile. Seattle went to victory formation the next play.
Wilson went rogue. He changed the play from a kneeldown to an easy pass to get Moore one more catch for a $100,000 bonus.
Russell Wilson helps teammate get a bonus
Players understand the contract incentives they need to hit in Week 17. When New Orleans Saints receiver Emmanuel Sanders caught a pass on Sunday, he raised his arms in triumph. It was his 60th catch, triggering a $500,000 bonus. Tom Brady got three shovel passes to Antonio Brown late in Tampa Bay’s finale so Brown could hit a contract bonus.
Wilson wanted to help out his teammate. Moore needed 35 catches for a $100,000 bonus. Wilson admitted that he called second-to-last play of the game to get Moore over the hump.
“It’s a blessing to be able to help his family and his daughter and all of that stuff,” Wilson said after the game.
Wilson said quarterbacks coach Austin Davis was part of the plan too.
“Austin actually said, ‘Hey, let’s get it done; let’s get it done,’’’ Wilson said, according to the Seattle Times. “… So when we ended up calling it and I said, ‘Dave you’re going to get the ball right here, here we go,’ kind of winked at him. So that was pretty cool.’’
David Moore took a pay cut before season
Last offseason, Moore was part of the cold business side of the NFL.
Moore signed a non-guaranteed $2.13 million tender as a restricted free agent, then restructured his deal before cutdown day, agreeing to an $850,000 salary according to the Seattle Times. Had he not agreed to that deal, the Seahawks could have cut him without any cap penalty since the $2.13 million wasn’t guaranteed.
Moore didn’t get all of his pay cut back through that bonus for 35 receptions, but it’s still significant. Wilson is a Seahawks captain, and gestures like that are a reason he’s the team’s leader.
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