The Russell Wilson / Phish Connection Gets the NFL Films Treatment

For the better part of the last year Phish frontman Trey Anastasio has worked with the Seattle Seahawks and the CenturyLink Field crowd to adopt the band’s iconic “Wilson” chant for quarterback Russell Wilson. Seattle being Seattle, it didn’t take too much convincing to get the fans on board with it.

Now the bond between the band and the quarterback has received the first-rate treatment from NFL Films, going deep into the background of the song and the Seahawks fans embracing it as a way to spur on their star second-year quarterback. Naturally fun-loving, free-spirited coach Pete Carroll is down with the idea as he’s interviewed during the 15-minute piece.

You’d think there wouldn’t be a huge cross-section of Phish fans and NFL fans, but the whole thing works. Phish might be the first band you think of for “Jock Jams” but the opening riff of “Wilson” with the fans chanting along is perfect. Hell, anything is better than recycling that old Real 2 Reel track that arenas and stadiums have been playing on repeat the last two decades.

The only question, how did straight-laced NFL commish Roger Goodell sign off on this from NFL Films? Did somebody slip him a Quaalude?