Former Seahawks Legend Russell Wilson Contemplating Major Career Move

Days after a visit with the New York Jets for the backup quarterback position, Russell Wilson is now reportedly considering a pivot to a different line of work.

New York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson (3) waves to fans after the game against the Dallas Cowboys at MetLife Stadium. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

It’s hard for me to believe this is just a coincidence. Certainly, coincidences happen, but it can not help but strike me as notable that, days after former Seattle great Russell Wilson visited with the New York Jets for a job, he’s now reportedly thinking about trying his hand at television. Per reports, it’s a serious thought, and one that would almost certainly end his playing career.

NFL Today Is The Play?

Andrew Marchand of The Athletic reports that Wilson is in genuine discussions with networks, with CBS believed to be the favorite to land him for their NFL Today show. Given that this report is emerging so soon after Russ had his first offseason visit with a team that might have been interested in his services, it feels like an indication of how that meeting went.

Wilson was looking a little hefty during his recent stint with the Savannah Bananas, with many noting how out-of-shape he appeared to be when stepping into the batter’s box. Perhaps the Jets felt he looked ill-fit for NFL work, and made their rejection of him obvious. Perhaps Russ indicated he either wanted the starting job or an open competition and was turned down.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Either way, a rejection from the New York Jets, who are currently employing 35-year-old Geno Smith and carrying Brady Cook, Cade Klubnik, and Bailey Zappe as their backups, should be a firm wakeup call. If they don’t want you, it’s very hard to imagine finding any team that wants you. And even if they do want you, is that really how you want to wind down your career?

Or maybe his visit with New York went great, and this is just a coincidence, or a negotiating ploy on the part of Wilson to get more money. We don’t know for sure. But even then, the question remains. Should Russell Wilson, once a franchise quarterback and among the defining signal-callers of his era, be willing to reduce himself to a backup role on a bad team?

Why Seahawks Fans Should Care

I’d argue it was bad enough when he signed on with the Giants last season, an obvious stopgap before the team was ready to start Jaxson Dart. The Giants had no reasonable aspirations of being good in 2025, there was no realistic hope of revitalizing Russ’s career with a playoff run. They were just the one team so destitute at the position they’d give him the starting job.

Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson (3) warms up before a game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

That sort of thing should be beneath a former great. Yes, Russ is far from the first once-elite quarterback to continue to play after it was clear he didn’t have it anymore, but he’s the first one I can think of that has been willing to bounce around the league, clinging to any opportunity to play no matter how weak or how obvious of a dead end it is, just for the sake of playing.

And, as I have argued on this space before, as Seahawks fans, I believe we should be rooting for Wilson to take this opportunity to step away from the field and into the booth or behind a desk. I don’t know if he’ll be good at it, but we’ll find out. It’s certainly a more noble end than sitting on the bench in New York, and the money will be much better.

Russ remains an all-time Seattle great. Some fans don’t like him right now, but many will probably come around over time once he hangs his cleats up. He is certainly the greatest quarterback in franchise history, and one of the most accomplished players they’ve ever had. To see him debase himself like a Jameis Winston-level journeyman isn’t good for anyone.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson (3) passes in the first quarter against the Baltimore Ravens in an AFC wild card game. | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

So, as a Seahawks fan who spent ten years watching and rooting for Russell Wilson, I’m hoping this is the end. If he’s bad at television, he can join a long list of former players that didn’t have the chops for it. But finding out by trying it for a while can’t possibly be worse than him continuing his playing career, which we already know he’s bad at based on the last few years.

Because ultimately, maybe Russell Wilson was never Tom Brady or Peyton Manning. But he wasn’t Vinny Testaverde or Joe Flacco either. Duking it out for backup jobs on bad teams should be beneath him. And while I’ve had no issue making fun of him over the last few years for his failures, I don’t want to see it keep going any longer.

— Enjoy free coverage of the Super Bowl champions from Seattle Seahawks On SI —

Sign Up For the Seahawks Daily Digest - OnSI’s Free Seattle Seahawks Newsletter