Since joining the Seattle Seahawks in 2012, the one quarterback Russell Wilson is most commonly compared to is height-challenged, mad-scrambling Hall of Famer Fran Tarkenton.
After watching Wilson direct the most improbable comeback in Championship Sunday history, New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick is now comparing his Super Bowl foe to another quarterback -- the original "Captain Comeback."
On Tuesday's conference call, Belichick told reporters that Wilson conjures up memories of Dallas CowboysHall of Famer Roger Staubach for his Houdini-like escapability.
"I can't really put it into words. Wilson's just got an instinctiveness. He just knows where people are," Belichick said. "It looks like he's going to get tackled and he doesn't. It kind of reminds (me) of watching Staubach. You think he doesn't see them, but he sees them or somehow he just knows they're there."
"He's got an uncanny sense of awareness of what's around him -- good or bad. I can't really define it. I don't know how you coach it; it's just an awareness that all great players have it. ... I think he just has it at a higher level. It's really impressive."
Praise doesn't get any higher from Belichick, whose comprehensive knowledge of football is unrivaled.
David Halberstam's fascinating 2005 book, "The Education of a Coach," outlines the history between Staubach and the Belichick family.
As a football-obsessed 11-year-old, Belichick used to hang around Navy practices to catch passes from Staubach, who starred under legendary scout and assistant coach Steve Belichick in the 1960s.
After delaying his NFL career with five years of Navy service, Staubach would go on to become the quintessential leader of "America's Team," capturing two Super Bowl titles as the quarterback of the decade in the 1970s.
"Every time you saw him play, you think, 'Man, he'll never be able to do that again. That was an amazing play,' " Belichick explained on NFL Network's Roger Staubach: A Football Life. "And then the next week, you see one and shake your head, 'Oh my god, that was even more spectacular the one he made last week.' "
Much like Staubach, Wilson specializes in mental toughness and extending plays outside of the structure of the offense. It's a rare skill set that serves an unpredictable quarterback best in close-and-late and postseason situations.
Teammates and opponents believed Staubach was never out of a game no matter the score. The same can be saidof Wilson, who has held a lead in every single one of his 55 career starts.
The latest Around The NFL Podcast recaps Championship Sunday, and breaks down the Seahawks' historic comeback against the Packers. Find more Around The NFL content on NFL NOW.
