Seahawks name rookie Wilson starting QB, cut Terrell Owens

The Seattle Seahawks decided Matt Flynn was their man just just over five months ago.

His tenure as apparent No. 1 quarterback may have ended without a single regular season game started.

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll announced late Sunday that rookie Russell Wilson will be the starting quarterback for the team's opening regular season game Sept. 9 in Arizona, according to the team's website.

Wilson has completed 35 of 52 passes in three preseason games for 454 yards, with five touchdowns and one interception. He provides superior mobility to Flynn, and has rushed for 150 yards on 10 carries in exhibition play.

Just 5-foot-10, Wilson is known for his tremendous athletic ability. He transferred from North Carolina State to Wisconsin in part because the former program weren't keen on his spring and summer excursions playing baseball.

Wilson was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in 2010.

He graduated from N.C. State and was attending graduate school in Wisconsin.

The 23-year-old led the Badgers to the Rose Bowl last year and threw for 109 touchdowns and 30 interceptions in his collegiate career, selected in the third round of the NFL Draft in April by Seattle.

The decision means that there could potentially be five rookie quarterbacks starting in Week 1. Robert Griffin III (Washington), Andrew Luck (Indianapolis), Ryan Tannehill (Miami) and Brandon Wheeden (Cleveland) are presumed starters for their teams.

In addition, there are five NFL starters only in their sophomore campaign.

Flynn was signed in March to a $26 million US deal, just under 40 per cent of that guaranteed. He completed 62 per cent of his passes and threw nine touchdowns against five interceptions with Green Bay, signed in large part on the strength of strong performances against Detroit in 2011 and New England in 2010.

Last year's starter, Tarvaris Jackson, appears headed to the Buffalo Bills in a trade.

Meanwhile, the Seahawks decided 38-year-old Terrell Owens was not part of their plans at receiver.

Owens had not played in the NFL in 18 months.

"I'm no longer a Seahawk," Owens tweeted Sunday. "I THANK the organization 4 the opportunity, I'm truly blessed beyond belief. My FAITH is intact & will NOT waiver."

Owens dropped a potential 46-yard touchdown against Denver on a perfect throw from Flynn. He failed to make a catch in any of his five targets against the Broncos and then had another glaring drop against Kansas City on Friday night.

He finished the preseason with just two receptions.

He has 1,078 receptions for 15,934 yards and 153 touchdowns — the second most in league history — in a career spent with San Francisco, Philadelphia, Dallas, Buffalo and Cincinnati.