Insider reveals 'friction' between Steelers, Seahawks legend Russell Wilson

Unfortunately, Russell Wilson is no stranger to messy breakups at this point.

In 2022, the Seattle Seahawks traded their longtime quarterback to the Denver Broncos in a blockbuster after the relationship between him and head coach Pete Carroll reportedly soured. Last year, the Broncos ate a record-setting dead cap hit just to release him after a disute with head coach Sean Payton. Now, Wilson could be headed for another divorce for the third time in four years, though without the apparent coaching feud.

Wilson, who spent this season with the Pittsburgh Steelers, is set to hit free agency once again in a few weeks, and based on his recent, it seems plausible that he won't be back. He missed the start of the season with injury and actually played fairly well upon his return, but his play sharply declined late as the Steelers lost their final five games.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson scrambles against the Cincinnati Bengals — Jan 4, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson (3) scrambles out of the pocket against the Cincinnati Bengals in the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium. The Bengals won 19-17 to finish the regular season at 9-8. Mandatory Credit: Sam Greene/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images | Sam Greene/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

While there doesn't seem to be as much drama this time around, there is still some behind the scenes. Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer recently detailed the "friction" between Wilson and the Steelers' brass.

"Wilson wasn’t an innocent bystander in all of that," Breer wrote. "His limitations in the dropback game, and throwing the ball over the middle of the field, could only be worked around for so long. And so some friction surfaced as the season circled the drain, and the collapse showed that, while the Steelers are consistently in the running, they aren’t all that close to the elite.

"This week some pro-Wilson narratives surfaced, and my sense is that probably wouldn’t be very well received by the Steelers as they mull their future at the position."

The fact that Justin Fields, the Steelers' other quarterback, is also due to hit free agency next month could impact their decision on Wilson, but even still, it seems more likely than not he heads elsewhere.

Perhaps Wilson re-joins Carroll with the Las Vegas Raiders, perhaps he heads to the New York Giants as a bridge quarterback, or perhaps he joins another team that's flying under the radar. He'll definitely have options this offseason, even if he's in the twilight of his career.

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