Football star Russell Wilson recently opened up about the moment he knew was ready to become a stepdad.
During a sit-down conversation on the podcast “I Am Athlete” posted on Sunday, the Denver Broncos quarterback recalled the first time he met his stepson, Future Zahir, who’s now 9 years old.
Wilson met the oldest son of his now-wife, Ciara, after he began dating the “Level Up” singer. He said he knew right away that Future Zahir, who was 9 months old at the time, would one day be his “responsibility.”
“When I walked in the room and I saw little Future — he’s 9 months at the time or whatever — and he crawls in my lap, it was like, ‘This is going to be my responsibility,’” he said.
“I remember leaving that night and God’s saying to me raising this child is going to be your responsibility,” he continued, later adding that he knew he was ready for the parenting journey.
He said he knew early on that getting the opportunity to raise Future Zahir was a “gift.”
Ciara had Future Zahir with her ex-partner, the rapper whose stage name is Future.
In addition to Future Zahir, Ciara and Wilson are parents to daughter Sienna, 6, son Win, 3 and an infant daughter, Amora, whom they welcomed in December.
Wilson has talked about his experience as a stepdad on several occasions.
He told GQ in 2021 that his relationship with Future Zahir was “the greatest thing that I’ve ever learned in life.”
“Because the reality of being a stepparent is that biologically they’re not necessarily yours, but the reality is that you have to love them as if they are,” he said at the time. “They’re your own blood in a way. You get to love them that way. And I think every kid deserves that and needs that and yearns for that.”
Wilson recently posted a slideshow of photos and videos on Instagram that showed him and Future Zahir having fun during NBA All-Star events earlier this month.
In a separate post, the Broncos quarterback shared a video that showed the 9-year-old getting shooting lessons from Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry.
“Best shooting coach in the world,” Wilson wrote in the caption, adding #ProudDad.