SEATTLE — I wasn’t convinced that Russell Wilson’s personality would translate to television.

Because during 14 NFL seasons, and a decade in Seattle, I rarely saw one. Publicly, Wilson was purposefully unknowable. He was a winner, a magician, a play-extender and a moonball maven. He was a relentlessly positive, remarkably durable, a consummate quarterback. He was a Super Bowl champion. He was a staple at Seattle Children’s Hospital, a model representative for a franchise and community and region.

And yet … he was also an enigma. In interviews, he stacked cliches like completions, a master at work, saying so much while meaning so little. He was a prolific painter, coating canvases with zero-calorie quotes. He was widely marketable and impossibly vague. He was inoffensive, almost to a fault. His personality was obscured by a smile and a tailored suit, a “Go Hawks” or a “Broncos country, let’s ride.” A corny catchphrase. A logo. A meticulously manicured social media workout video. A billboard for a brand.

But the man? I never knew the man. Even internally, former Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch said in 2023 that he never had Wilson’s phone number. The quarterback’s Denver contract supposedly included a second-floor office alongside coaches and executives, separate from the locker room.

Of course, Wilson never owed us access or authenticity. He was paid to win and produce, and he did both, becoming the first NFL player with 40,000 passing yards and 5,000 rushing yards. In 14 seasons, he made 10 Pro Bowls and was named Walter Payton Man of the Year in 2020. That’s a potential Hall of Famer on and off the field.

But I wasn’t convinced his next career would go so swimmingly. In June, Wilson announced his retirement from football and joined CBS Sports’ broadcast team. The 37-year-old appears on CBS’ long-running pregame show, “The NFL Today,” as well as a weekly YouTube show called “Set, Hut!” with former offensive lineman Kyle Long. The role requires Wilson to repurpose his encyclopedic knowledge to break down the game for a broader audience.

It also requires him to do so with authentic perspective and personality.

Would we see the real Russell Wilson, whatever that means? Once the player retired, would the person emerge?

So far, I’ve been pleasantly surprised. Fourteen seasons later, he has something to say.

“He’s great on TV,” Long told Kay Adams on her YouTube show, “Up & Adams,” last week. “I hope people are like, ‘Holy crap. This guy is so likable.’ He has great takes and strong takes, and he talks to the camera. He’s like, ‘Drake Maye, I’m talking to you for a second,’ and I’m like, ‘Dang, he is such a quarterback.’ ”

Ironically, on a CBS set, swimming in makeup and studio lights, I’ve seen a more engagingly transparent Wilson. While discussing New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, he said this of his own bounce-back from losing a Super Bowl:

“Not winning the Super Bowl … it affects you. It affects the team. I remember we were 2-4 [in 2015], and I had to put my headphones on. Drake Maye has to put his headphones on, ignore the noise and just focus on ballin’ in the red zone. If he takes care of the ball in the red zone, he’s got a great chance. But the key to it all is that he has to believe in himself.

“What are you telling yourself? I remember writing on the top of my journal every morning, ‘They’ll love you one day, and they’ll hate you the next.’ And that’s the reality of it.”

That’s real — which, for Wilson, may feel refreshing. He even commented recently on his own perception, while complimenting Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts.

“His mental coach at one point was my guy, Trevor Moawad,” Wilson explained. “We always believed in this thought process: neutral thinking. People sometimes hate it. I had teammates who used to think I was fake because of it.

“It was just, I didn’t want to be too high, didn’t want to be too low. I just wanted to be still. I wanted to be in the moment. I think quarterback play is about being in the moment. When things aren’t going your way, be there. When things are going your way, be there. That’s what I think Jalen does a really good job of.”

Thus far, Wilson has done a good job of not taking himself too seriously. Last Sunday, he briefly donned a San Francisco 49ers hat while discussing the Seahawks’ undefeated division rival on “The NFL Today.” But considering he went 17-4 against San Francisco, he later added: “We do own the 49ers.”

Before last month’s game between the Ravens and Cowboys in Rio de Janeiro, CBS filmed a special segment — “Russell in Rio.” In it, Wilson played flag football with local kids, learned to dance the samba in a crowded club, attempted to spearfish and tried his hand — or foot — at an offshoot of beach volleyball called “foot volley.”

“Do not stop filming until I get a point, please,” Wilson jokingly pleaded with a camera person while struggling to kick and head the ball over a net. After finally earning a point, he yelped and ran spiraling circles, hands at his side, before tossing the ball and toppling to the sand.

Wilson is still corny. He’s still cliché inclined. He’s still a billboard for a brand, with the “R3” logo printed on both his jacket and hat during “Set, Hut!” last week.

But I’ve been impressed by his personality and perspective. Even without the moonballs, Wilson’s been fun to watch.

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