The 2016 season didn't go the way Russell Wilson wanted.

After leading the NFL in passer rating the previous year, Wilson was hoping to pick up where he left off. But injuries slowed him down, pass-protection issues became too much to overcome, and the Seattle Seahawks' running game never got on track.

The result was an offense that finished 17th in efficiency, the lowest ranking since Wilson joined the team in 2012.

But even though the numbers weren't great, Wilson continued to show he's one of the toughest and most durable quarterbacks in the NFL. He battled through a high ankle sprain, a sprained MCL in his knee and a pectoral strain, never missing a start.

"He was hurt," wide receiver Doug Baldwin said during a recent interview on the "Brock and Salk" show on 710 ESPN Seattle.

"To be completely honest with you, he was hurt. And I have to give him a lot of credit, because for him to play through the injuries that he had, it was miraculous. It was unbelievable.

"To see that injury on tape, live, to see it happen, knowing exactly what transpired, we got the information afterwards of what happened to his knee. For him to continue to go out there and play the way he did and give it all for his teammates, you can’t help but respect the guy."

Wilson went to extreme lengths to get ready to play -- calling in his personal physical therapist and undergoing round-the-clock treatments.

He finished the season relatively healthy and has been training in Los Angeles this offseason.

"I keep tabs on him during the offseason to check in with the guys that are around him to see how he’s doing, and what I’ve heard just recently was that he’s being an animal right now," Baldwin said. "He’s grinding his butt off."

Even with the injuries, Wilson completed 64.7 percent of his passes and averaged 7.7 yards per attempt -- numbers that aren't far off from his career marks.

But 2016 showed just how valuable Wilson is to the Seahawks' running game. He had a career-low 259 yards on the ground and averaged just 3.6 yards per carry. Without Wilson's legs as a factor, Seattle's rushing attack struggled to get going.

The Seahawks need to protect him better, but since Wilson is just 28 years old, the team still sees plenty of room for growth for him.

"I couldn’t be more excited about it, because when Russell Wilson goes, our whole team goes," Baldwin said. "And so for him to be where he’s at now after all the injuries that he’s endured during the past season, I’m really excited about our chances for this season."