Russell Wilson says NC State coach told him he'd never make the NFL

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson has often spoke at length about how difficult a road it was for him to make it to the NFL.

During a commencement speech at the University of Wisconsin, Wilson spoke about how he was once told by a coach at North Carolina State that he'd never make it to the professional level due his size

"The summer before my senior year of college, I'm playing minor-league baseball. I called my football coach at NC State and said, 'Hey coach, I'd like to come back for my senior year.' He told me I wasn't coming back," Wilson told graduates, according to Sheil Kapadia of ESPN. "He said, 'Listen son, you're never going to play in the National Football League. You're too small. There's no chance. You've got no shot. Give it up.' Of course, I'm on this side of the phone saying, 'So you're telling me I'm not coming back to NC State? I won't see the field?' He said, 'No son, you won't see the field.' Now this was everything I had worked for. And now it was completely gone. If I wanted to follow my dream I had to leave NC State. I had no idea if I would get a second chance somewhere else."

Wilson was afforded that second chance, transferring to Wisconsin, leading the Badgers to the Rose Bowl, and solidifying himself as a third-round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft in the process.

Since then, Wilson has become one of the league's top passers, winning a Super Bowl in 2013.