Russell Wilson Boasted About Being 'Ciara's Husband' During His Dartmouth Commencement Speech

Russell Wilson was awarded an honorary degree from Dartmouth College in New Hampshire and gave a commencement speech to the graduating class of 2022.

During his nearly nineteen-minute speech, Wilson joked about answering the question on everyone in the crowds’ minds and confirmed his wife Ciara was in the audience.

“Thank you very much for that introduction. Usually, I just get introduced as ‘Ciara’s husband’ so that was cool. And let me start by answering the question that is on so many of your minds: Yes, she’s here too,” he began.

Wilson spoke about his late father, Harrison Wilson, who graduated from Dartmouth in 1977. While competing at Peyton Manning Passing Academy, he shared a conversation he had with his father.

“‘You know, you could play against the Manning brothers one day. You could play in the NFL,'” Russell said. “And I was a confident kid, but I must have given him a look like, ‘Are you sure?’ Because he looked me right in the eye and said: ‘Why not you?'”

As he lay dying years later, Harrison reminded his son that his name carried weight.

“Tears are coming down his face. Tears are coming down my face. And then he says to me,” Russell said. “through all that pain, he says to me, ‘Just remember. Your name carries weight.'”

Russell’s late father and three uncles attended the prestigious Ivy League school.

“Standing here at my father’s alma mater, looking out over this place that helped him become the man he was, it’s impossible not to think about his legacy,” Russell said. “And living with legacy is what I want to talk to you about today.

Russell then spoke directly to the graduating class, telling them that this graduation was just the beginning and shared how much he missed his dad and how he lived with his legacy to his dying day.

“Now, legacy might seem like a strange topic for a commencement speech because, I mean, this is your beginning. You’re just starting out. But, graduates, if there’s one thing I hope to accomplish today, it’s to challenge you not to wait to think about your legacy and what that will be,” Russell said. “Because legacy isn’t just something you leave behind. It’s something you build, something you add to every day. My dad, he didn’t get as many days as he deserved. I miss him so much. But because he lived with legacy, he’s never really gone. I hear his voice all the time.”

The quarterback concluded his speech by reminding the graduates that their legacy isn’t defined by their accomplishments or even achieved goals but by their impact.

“No matter what you do after you leave this campus,” Russell said, “your life, your legacy, will be defined not by the accomplishments you list on your résumé or the goals you achieve, but by the impact you have.”

Congratulations Russell and the class of 2022!