On Sunday morning, Seattle Mariners manager Dan Wilson told the team that he wasn't going to be returning as manager in 2027.

While everyone has been careful to not use the word "fired," it seems fairly clear that this decision was not made by Wilson and is in direct response to the team's disappointing 76-86 campaign in 2026.

All season online, angry M's fans have championed this idea. I've gone back-and-forth with many users who were rooting for his dismissal as early as June. I pushed back on that notion then, always believing that Wilson deserved the full season because of the success of the 2025 group.

Once it became clear that he was going to get the full season, my wishes were satisfied. As it became more clear that his dismissal was going to be the final resolution, I understood that also. This group needs a new voice, or new voices, and there were additional coaching staff changes on Monday as well.

One of the familiar refrains I got a lot on social media this season was that "Wilson has tarnished his legacy" because of the performance of the 2026 Mariners - and his hand in it.

I've got to tell you, that couldn't be further from the truth, at least not from where I'm sitting.

At the end of the day, Wilson is still one of the most popular players in team history, and that's not going to change because of what happened in 2026.

He spent 12 years in Seattle as a player, helping the Mariners reach the playoffs for the first time in 1995. He played in the most important era of Mariners baseball, with the most important players in team history: Ken Griffey Jr., Alex Rodriguez, Jay Buhner, Edgar Martinez, Randy Johnson and Ichiro Suzuki.

He was part of the three most impactful teams in team history: 1995, 2001 and 2025.

He's a team Hall of Famer and one of the 50 Greatest Mariners, as named this summer. Those titles and accomplishments don't go away because of this poor season.

And even with this poor managerial season now behind us, the fact remains: Wilson went 187-171 with the Mariners as a skipper over two-plus seasons.

He's one of only three managers in team history to finish over .500 (Lou Piniella, Scott Servais) and he's only the second manager in team history to take a team to the American League Championship Series (Piniella). 

One the pain of this season fades away, Wilson be remembered very positively by Mariners fans. 

His playing career will always require appreciation. His managerial career will be linked to 2025 more than 2026 soon enough.

His accomplishments are set in stone. Just like his legacy.