In 2012, a rookie Russell Wilson took his first steps toward being a pro at the Seattle Seahawks. After being drafted in the third round of the draft, Wilson was ready to embark on a daunting chapter of his life and he had a furry little friend for company- his pet dog. Prince, a Great Dane was adopted by Wilson 12 years ago and became a massive part of his life and growing family. But the Steelers quarterback had to bid an emotional goodbye to Prince, who passed away on Thursday.
Wilson is a well-known pet parent and has two other Great Danes named Naomi and Hero to go along with a “fierce” senior Malti-poo. In 2022, Wilson also gifted his wife, Ciara, with a Rhodesian ridgeback named Bronco. However, on this occasion, the Wilson clan are mourning the departure of their oldest canine friend.
The former Broncos man took to Instagram to announce the passing of Prince in a heartfelt post while also sharing some heartwarming photos of his beloved pet from over the years. In the caption, he wrote, ‘”Prince’ 12 years ago you came into my life. I got you my rookie year & you have been a blessing to our family with so many memories, hugs and kisses from our 4 kids and us. You will forever be a part of us. Today was a hard day. But you overcame cancer 2x and lived 12 years when most live 6. Heaven got a good one! Forever the Prince of Peace. Love you.”
The cover photo was of Wilson and Ciara, snuggling with Prince on the floor, while three other images featured the QB with his late Great Dane. Ciara also shared a post on her Instagram, to commemorate Prince’s impact on their lives, breaking her 2025 social media hiatus.
Sharing the same cover photo as her husband’s post, she wrote, “Forever with us. Forever in our hearts. Forever Thankful for the amazing memories you gave us. We will miss you so much and we will always love you Prince!” Wilson and Ciara have been married for nine of Prince’s 12 years, having tied the knot in 2016. Ciara also dropped a few of her favorite photos of Prince, one of which included her son Harrison Wilson, sneaking behind Prince.
In another such photo, we see Prince seated with another Great Dane, and one photo has one of Wilson’s kids in the center surrounded by the pets. Prince made Russell Wilson fall in love with Great Danes and he went on to adopt two more.
In a video from 2019, Russ proudly showed Prince, Naomi, and Hero, while admitting, “I love No. 3, so I always wanted to have three Great Danes.” In the same year, during an interview with PEOPLE, Wilson mentioned how three Great Danes are always playing around with them.
“The Great Danes just want to lay on your lap all the time. Ciara and I will be trying to have a date night, watching a movie, and all of a sudden there’s three great Danes laying across our laps,” he said.
Prince was a fighter through and through. Beating cancer twice, he lived beyond the typical lifespan of most Great Danes. You see, they are called the ‘Gentle Giants’ for a reason. Pet owners admire them for their imposing size and gentle hearts. But these dog breeds often have to face the bittersweet reality of short lifespans, typically around 7 to 10 years. This is because their large size puts extra strain on their organs and joints making them susceptible to various health issues.
Losing Prince wasn’t the first time the Wilson family had to deal with the departure of one of their fur babies.
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Around the time Ciara was gifted Bronco by Rus in 2022, the “Goodies” singer reminisced about her late dog Tyson and posted throwback pictures of her previous pet. She posted a picture of Tyson relaxing on her baby bump and added the caption, “Losing Tyson was hard. I had him for almost 17 years. He will always be in our hearts.”
Russell Wilson is an avid pet lover and has shown a willingness to help pets live a better life. In 2019 he joined hands with Banfield Foundation’s Safer Together initiative. Russell Wilson keen to provide better resources to pet owners in abusive situations
In 2019, Wilson talked to PEOPLE about working with the Banfield Foundation, which invested $1 million toward pet-friendly domestic programs in the form of grants, the creation of an Advisory Committee, and continuing education for veterinary professionals on how to help pets in domestic violence situations.
Wilson’s close bond with his pets meant he was able to understand the predicament of pet parents, who had to face the challenges of abuse and domestic violence. The quarterback joined the Safer Together initiative to work with the Banfield Foundation and said, “We want to help people through tough situations, to make sure they feel safe and can keep their family together.” Given his dedication toward helping pets, loss of Prince is a difficult time for Rus and we send our heartfelt condolences to the Wilson family.
