Russell Wilson’s CBS Talks Could Launch a Strong TV Career

Former Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson is reportedly in "deep talks" to join CBS Sports' NFL broadcast crew, according to The Athletic's Andrew Marchand.

"Russell Wilson is in deep discussions to go into television, which could mark the end of what is likely a Hall of Fame career as an NFL quarterback, sources briefed on the talks told The Athletic," Marchand wrote.

The NFL has been sending the signal to Wilson that he's no longer viewed as a no-brainer starter. The 37-year-old is still a free agent, though he recently took a visit with the New York Jets.

According to Marchand, if Wilson finalizes the deal with CBS, he'll take over Matt Ryan's spot on the broadcast crew, which opened up after Ryan joined the Atlanta Falcons' front office as president of football operations.

The Tools to Thrive on TV

Wilson has some experience working with CBS. He's also a famous name around the NFL and can conjure the charisma for television. He's no stranger to cameras or media attention, although he can come off as "corny" sometimes.

However, answering questions at the podium and giving insightful analysis and opinions live during a national broadcast are two different things. Still, that experience dealing with the media for 15 years as an NFL quarterback is a good starting point.

It's also worth noting that Wilson has a Super Bowl ring, which he could wear on the television broadcasts to illustrate his credibility with audiences. He almost won two, were it not for a red-zone interception he threw in Super Bowl 49 vs. the New England Patriots that iced the game.

Wilson's Late-Career Trajectory

Wilson's two-year stint with the Broncos ended ignominiously, with him getting benched by Sean Payton. Wilson won 11 total games with the Broncos over that span, and he cost the team multiple first and second-round draft picks.

The Broncos also extended Wilson before he ever took a live-bullet snap, which created record dead-money charges on the salary cap when they released him in the spring of 2024. The Broncos paid the price for swinging and missing so spectacularly on Wilson, and like most divorces, it was ugly.

Luckily, Payton has been able to pick up the pieces rather quickly, thanks to savvy drafting in partnership with the very GM who orchestrated the Wilson trade from Seattle — George Paton. Landing Bo Nix in the 2024 draft was the accelerator that immediately set the Broncos on a new path.

Nix has won 24 games in the two seasons as the Broncos' starter, as well as a playoff game. The Broncos won the AFC West for the first time since 2015 last season, along with the AFC's No. 1 playoff seed.

Some things happen for a reason, and it's possible that without the Wilson trade, perhaps Payton never lands in Denver, which would likely mean that Nix would've been drafted elsewhere, too. After he was released by the Broncos, Wilson signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers for 2024, though he shared the starting job with Justin Fields.

Wilson took his talents to the New York Giants in 2025, but he was quickly benched for rookie first-rounder Jaxson Dart. And now, Wilson has languished on the free-agent market for months, precipitating his discussion with CBS to retire and enter the broadcasting business.

Things didn't work out for Russ in Denver. But as a 10-time Pro Bowler, he's still one of the best quarterbacks of his era, and could have a lot of success as a broadcaster at CBS.

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