Russell Wilson is now retired after one of the most accomplished quarterback careers of the past 15 years. There were seasons when the Seattle Seahawks didn’t seem destined for success, but Wilson—especially in the fourth quarter—would lead dramatic comebacks, often putting the team on his shoulders. Even after the Legion of Boom era, he carried teams that had no business contending for a championship.

Wilson’s playing career included several elite seasons with the Seattle. He spent 10 seasons in Seattle, becoming the winningest quarterback in franchise history. Wilson earned nine Pro Bowl selections, led the Seahawks to two Super Bowl appearances and helped the franchise win its first Super Bowl in 2013.

Some might remember Wilson being traded to the Denver Broncos in 2022, where he struggled to replicate his Seattle success. He lasted just two seasons in Denver before the Broncos moved on and drafted quarterback Bo Nix out of Oregon. Wilson then played one season with the Pittsburgh Steelers and later with the New York Giants before retiring. He will now join CBS as an analyst.

Wilson is one of the more underappreciated quarterbacks of his era, especially for his achievements in Seattle. He should be a Hall of Fame candidate—and deserves first-ballot consideration. He retires with more than 50,000 passing yards, over 350 touchdown passes and one of the highest winning percentages among quarterbacks of his era.

Beyond football, Wilson has made a significant impact off the field. Along with his wife, singer Ciara, he has contributed to children’s hospitals and supported numerous community initiatives.

He is widely regarded as the greatest Seahawks quarterback of all time and now stands among the most successful quarterbacks of his generation—a true Seattle legend.

New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll confirmed that Jaxson Dart will replace veteran quarterback Russell Wilson as the starting QB for the rest of the season.

The swap is expected to be in effect starting on Sunday when the Giants host the Los Angeles Chargers. Dart will be making his first NFL appearance after being drafted in the first round earlier this year.

“I met with both Russ yesterday and Jaxson privately,” Daboll said on Wednesday. “Russ was nothing but a pro, which I expect him to be. It’s my decision going with Jaxson. We’re going to get him ready to play this week and for the remainder of the season.”

Wilson signed for New York in March on a one-year contract and was named the starting quarterback prior to the season. However, after three straight losses, which included a 22-9 Sunday Night Football defeat against the Kansas City Chiefs, where Wilson threw for 160 yards and two interceptions, Daboll appears to pull the plug early.

“The conversations I’ve had with these young men will be private, and the details will be private,” the head coach said. “All I can tell you is that we’re going with Jaxson, and we’re getting ready to play.”

For now, the veteran quarterback is only focused on helping the team win and rallying behind Dart for the remainder of the season.

“For me right now, I think it’s really about the team, helping Jaxson the best I possibly can,” Wilson said on Wednesday. “I remember coming in as a young rookie, looking for help, looking for answers and stuff like that. I just told him, ‘I got your back and I got whatever I can help you with.'”

2025 was not a good season for the New York Giants. Nothing this team tried seemed to work, and they ended up going 3-14 and landing the third overall pick in the draft. New York cut their starting quarterback, Daniel Jones, in week 12, knowing the team wasn’t competing for the playoffs. The Giants decided to stick with their head coach, Brian Daboll, after two disappointing seasons, trying to keep some stability with the team.

>GET DEALS ON NY GIANTS TICKETS NOW!

The Giants’ offseason would bring significant changes to the struggling franchise, starting with the addition of new talent at the quarterback position, including Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston. Both were brought in to compete for the starting job, but it was announced that Wilson would be the week one starter. New York also added several pieces to their secondary, which only had five interceptions last season, ranking second-to-last in the NFL. They signed safety Jevon Holland and cornerback Paulson Adebo, who both have been starters for the majority of their careers.

The Giants also signed other key additions like defensive lineman Roy Robert-Harris, defensive end Chauncey Golston, wide receiver Zach Pascal and offensive lineman James Hudson III. The Giants also let quarterback Drew Lock, cornerback Adoree’ Jackson, defensive end Azeez Ojulari and guard Wyatt Davis all walk this offseason.

The Giants had one of the best drafts in the NFL, selecting edge rusher Abdul Carter with the third overall pick out of Penn State. Carter was arguably the most “pro-ready” out of any of the prospects in the draft, falling to number three overall. The Giants also made a considerable move, trading back into the first round to select quarterback Jaxson Dart out of Ole Miss with the 25th overall pick. Dart will have the opportunity to compete with the newly signed quarterbacks for the starting position in the regular season. The Giants also made other key selections like defensive tackle Darius Alexander, running back Cam Skattebo and offensive lineman Marcus Mbow.

New York will have a challenging 2025 season, having the most demanding schedule in the NFL, according to Fox Sports. The team will play nine playoff teams from last season, including the Super Bowl champions, the Philadelphia Eagles, twice. Some of the more winnable games for the Giants will come against the Cowboys, the Saints in week five, the Bears in week 10 and the Patriots in week 13. With a challenging schedule and numerous new additions to the team, New York’s pass rush must dominate as it did last season to make a return to the playoffs in 2025.

NEW YORK GIANTS TICKETS & SCHEDULE

• Week 1, Sept. 7 at Washington Commanders 1:00 p.m.
• Week 2, Sept. 14 at Dallas Cowboys 1:00 p.m.
• Week 3, Sept. 21 vs. Kansas City Chiefs 8:20 p.m.
• Week 4, Sept. 28 vs. Los Angeles Chargers 1:00 p.m.
• Week 5, Oct. 5 at New Orleans Saints 1:00 p.m.
• Week 6, Oct. 9 vs. Philadelphia Eagles 8:15 p.m.
• Week 7, Oct. 19 at Denver Broncos 4:05 p.m.
• Week 8, Oct. 26 at Philadelphia Eagles 1:00 p.m.
• Week 9, Nov. 2 vs. San Francisco 49ers 1:00 p.m.
• Week 10, Nov. 9 at Chicago Bears 1:00 p.m.
• Week 11, Nov. 16 vs. Green Bay Packers 1:00 p.m.
• Week 12, Nov. 23 at Detroit Lions 1:00 p.m.
• Week 13, Dec. 1 at New England Patriots 8:15 p.m.
• Week 14, Dec. 7 BYE
• Week 15, Dec. 14 vs. Washington Commanders 1:00 p.m.
• Week 16, Dec. 21 vs. Minnesota Vikings 1:00 p.m.
• Week 17, Dec. 27/28 at Las Vegas Raiders TBD
• Week 18, vs. Dallas Cowboys TBD

New York Giants Game/Season Odds

New York enters week one vs the Commanders as +7 underdogs playing in Washington, D.C., in a huge divisional matchup to start the year. New York only has +20000 odds of winning the Super Bowl and +8000 odds of winning the NFC Championship. They are also favored in only one game this season, against the New Orleans Saints in week five. 

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Russell Wilson is the clear-cut starting quarterback as the New York Giants begin training camp, coach Brian Daboll said Wednesday.

“These guys will be out here competing, but Russ is our starter,” Daboll said.

Daboll did leave the door open for Jaxson Dart, selected 25th in the draft by the Giants after a trade up from No. 34 with the Houston Texans, to win the No. 2 job. In addition to Wilson and Dart, the Giants also signed veteran quarterback Jameis Winston this offseason and still have Tommy DeVito on the 90-man roster.

“We’re going to go out here, we’re going to practice, guys are going to compete and the roster will be set when the roster’s set,” Daboll said. “Our goal right now is just to improve each person every day, and we’ll take it from there.”

Dart’s development is of paramount importance to the future of the franchise.

“I think it’s important for all the players to develop. That’s what this time of year is for,” Daboll said. “For all young players … it’s really every young player, our goal is to develop those guys and when they’re called upon, be ready to go.”

The 10-time Pro Bowler signed a one-year contract and quickly established himself as a leader and respected voice in the room during the team’s offseason program.

He also organized throwing sessions with various players during the offseason in San Diego, Los Angeles, and Atlanta.

Unofficially, Wilson was 8 of 14 with a pair of touchdown passes as the Giants did 11 on 11 drills in the red zone on Wednesday. Dart was just 2 of 5, throwing a pick-six to Nic Jones on his first pass of training camp.

He played last season for the Pittsburgh Steelers, starting 11 games, and threw for 2,482 yards with 16 touchdowns and five interceptions, completing 63.7% of his passes.

The New York Giants have their new starting quarterback.

Russell Wilson is signing a one-year, $10.5 million deal with New York, which could reach $21 million with incentives.

Wilson will now join and lead a quarterback room that includes newly signed Jameis Winston and Tommy DeVito.

Wilson is heading to New York after a season with the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he also signed a one-year deal.

Over his tenure with the Seattle Seahawks (2012-2021), Wilson won a Super Bowl at MetLife Stadium, where he’ll now call home and earned nine Pro Bowl Selections.

Now headed to his fourth team, Wilson battled through a calf injury last summer to start 11 games for the Steelers last season. He began the season on a high but struggled toward the end, finishing with a 6-5 record as a starter, 225.6 yards passing per game, 16 touchdowns, and five interceptions.

Wilson was rumored to be a potential option for the Giants, Cleveland Browns and Steelers.

The Pittsburgh Steelers rolled through 2024 with Justin Fields and Russell Wilson as their quarterbacks, posting an impressive season before losing their last four games and, in a seemingly perennial move, getting washed out of the playoffs in the first round. By all accounts, the team wanted to keep Fields, despite relieving him of the starting position for Wilson. But the New York Jets got there first – and now the Steelers are working on contingencies.

That’s where quarterback Mason Rudolph comes in. He returns to Pittsburgh, his draft team, on a two-year deal after a single season away with the Tennessee Titans. Rudolph was largely a career backup for the Steelers, sitting behind Ben Roethlisberger and later Mitch Trubisky and Kenny Pickett, but proved an important asset with injuries and poor starter play.

The Steelers will be hoping for Rudolph to reprise his role as backup, but the free agent quarterback pool continues to shrink. Wilson is visiting the New York Giants and Cleveland Browns, and is a sought-after commodity in a thin market – not to mention that Pittsburgh reportedly sees him as “Plan B.” Meanwhile, the Steelers are competing with the Giants and potentially the Vikings to land Aaron Rodgers following his unfortunate stint with the Jets.

As the Las Vegas Raiders demonstrated earlier this offseason, quarterback fortunes can change in a moment. There aren’t many to go around, and if Pittsburgh doesn’t make a concerted push for Rodgers or Wilson, it’s likely that Rudolph will be their day one starter.

Rudolph, entering his seventh season in the NFL, went 8-4-1 as a starter in Pittsburgh. The 2024 season saw him step in for Will Levis in Tennessee, posting nine touchdowns and nine interceptions and going 1-4, along with a 63.7% completion percentage.

There doesn’t appear to be an absolute right or wrong option for the Steelers at this point in the offseason. Being forced to start Rudolph, however, probably wouldn’t elicit much fan enthusiasm.

It’s another Pittsburgh Steelers offseason, which means it’s another offseason of contemplating how to escape the league’s mushy middle without blowing up the whole project.

This year, that means making some quarterback decisions. After moving on from Kenny Pickett last year, the Steelers signed Russell Wilson, who was injured at the time, and traded for Justin Fields from the Chicago Bears.

>READ MORE: HOW RUSSELL WILSON ENDED UP WITH STARTING JOB

Look, the Steelers made the playoffs with a sparkling 10-3 run to begin the season, riding the performances of Fields (4-2) and Wilson (6-1). But Pittsburgh – and Wilson – would go on to drop their last four games and enter the playoffs as the seventh seed, being wiped out of the first round easily by the Baltimore Ravens. Wilson threw for under 150 yards twice in that four-game losing streak and maintained a QBR between 30 and 40.

While general manager Omar Khan said at the NFL Combine that all options remained on the table, the organization is reportedly leaning towards Fields. He’s ten years younger, for one. His stats aren’t significantly better than Wilson’s, but he’s presumably an easier bet – more mobile, more upside and without the unfortunate track record that Wilson brought from Denver.

Fields passed for 1,106 yards in six games this year, including five touchdowns and one interception. He also rushed for 289 yards and five more touchdowns, demonstrating his mobility as a prominent asset.

If they don’t opt for Fields, an option in the trade market is the Seahawks’ Geno Smith, who has one year left on his deal and has proven upside. More likely, though, is the Steelers re-signing Fields this offseason as a stopgap and working to fill the quarterback need through the Draft. One particularly interesting name for Pittsburgh is Jaxson Dart from Ole Miss, whose athleticism fits him well into the Steelers system. Pittsburgh is reportedly interested, but their Draft will depend on the needs they’re able to fill right now.

Former Steelers quarterbacks Ben Roethlisberger and Duck Hodges agreed with the choice of Fields on Roethlisberger’s Footbahlin podcast.

“Whether you want to bring someone else in, let’s see what he can do in a second year of an offense,” Roethlisberger said. “There’s some familiarity. He’s had a new system every year. He may be more comfortable. Obviously, we’re not taking into account contracts and all that kind of stuff. I’d like to see what Fields could do in another year.”

The quarterback battle in Pittsburgh has ended — for now. After evaluating both of their newly acquired passers in the preseason, the Steelers have named Russell Wilson as the starter over Justin Fields. It’s a clear statement in which the team is siding with experience over upside, though there may be a silver lining for Fields.

In an interview Wednesday, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin was asked if opponents, like the Falcons in Week 1, should prepare to see Fields on the field in some capacity. His response opens the door a crack for the 25-year-old backup.

“I don’t want to disclose any strategic approaches,” Tomlin said. “But there’s probably too much talent to be sitting around watching all day. You know what I mean?”

After two months, the Steelers finally announced earlier this week that they had landed on Wilson, a pocket passer who has lost significant mobility but may still be able to pilot an offense at age 35. Fields, who aspired to be the starter, is left in a strange position at age 25.

But Tomlin’s latest thoughts on Fields suggest that there may be some hope after all. With Wilson facing serious doubts after his stint in Denver, Fields may carve out an increasingly large role in the offense as the season wears on. The two are certainly at diametric points in their careers, one crashing down from a great height while the other attempts to build from the ground up.

When Wilson was traded from the Seattle Seahawks to the Denver Broncos and later signed a gigantic five-year, $245 million contract, he was supposed to be the team’s ticket to a Super Bowl. His prior success in Seattle had no bearing on his performance in Denver, however, as he was an overwhelming disappointment and was released at the end of his second season with the team.

Fields, meanwhile, showed flashes early in his run with the Chicago Bears that suggested he could become a legitimate dual-threat quarterback. The 11th overall pick in 2021, he quickly drew comparisons to Lamar Jackson and other mobile passers, appearing in every way to be the team’s future. Around him, the Bears were in shambles.

Going through two different coaching regimes between 2021 and 2023, Fields never took the next step forward and even regressed in some areas as his staff struggled to build an offense around him.

This off-season, Chicago finally kicked into gear, acquiring wide receiver Keenan Allen and running back D’Andre Swift and drafting rookie receiver Rome Odunze in the first round. It’s an offense Fields could have had a real opportunity to succeed with, but it wasn’t for him. With the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Bears also selected USC quarterback Caleb Williams, sending Fields away just as the team began to shape up.

Pittsburgh acquired both quarterbacks in the off-season to replace Kenny Pickett, who struggled in his two seasons as the team’s starter. Both made a tepid case as the team’s next starter. Wilson had an illustrious career in Seattle, but he had very few excuses for a disappointing stint in Denver. Fields had an excuse for his poor play for a hopeless Chicago organization, but many believe that the team also failed to develop him in three seasons, leaving him on the back foot at an advanced point in his career.

To begin the season, Wilson will likely have the lion’s share of time under center. But Fields will likely receive his opportunities under Tomlin, who seems eager to use his talents in creative ways. The journey may not be over just yet.

The Steelers’ first depth chart was revealed last week and has Russell Wilson at the QB1 spot over Justin Fields. Despite the veteran being considered the starter, coach Mike Tomlin said that Fields “took advantage of the opportunity for additional snaps” since Wilson was limited last week with a calf injury.

“We’ve got two really capable guys,” Tomlin told CBS Sports. “We’re going to create an environment where they get an opportunity to compete and see what they’re capable of.”

However, Wilson didn’t play in Friday’s preseason match against the Texans, enabling Fields to gain ground for the starting gig. Other names not playing Friday are T.J. Watt, Cam Heyward, Minkah Fitzpatrick and Patrick Queen. The former Bronco didn’t play in the preseason in his first year in Denver and accepted Tomlin’s decision to sit out but said that he’ll be ready if called upon.

Coach Tomlin still sees a competition between the veteran and former Chicago Bear for QB1. “Very much is a competition,” Tomlin remarked. “What happens in a stadium is weighted heavier than what happens in practice.” Wilson stepped it up a notch during Tuesday’s practice as he partook in four reps in the “seven shots” drill while completing a pass to George Pickens in an 11-on-11 period.

“I’m just trying to take advantage of each and every rep I get,” Fields said. “I know that if [Wilson] wasn’t hurt, then I wouldn’t be in this position. So it’s just opportunities for me.” Fields’ performance this preseason could make or break the duel, but it’ll be tough to tell until Wilson has fully rejoined practice.

Pittsburgh has been linked in trade talks with the 49ers for star wideout Brandon Aiyuk, though Tomlin didn’t offer insight on adding additional players to the receiving core.

A fight broke out during the Pittsburgh Steelers’ sixth day of training camp Wednesday. During a drill, linebacker Elandon Roberts reportedly hit quarterback Justin Fields late, provoking several offensive linemen into a dispute.

With Russell Wilson already nursing a minor injury, the Steelers’ offensive line likely feels even more pressure to protect its quarterbacks as they vie for starting status in 2024. After practice, Roberts admitted that the offense did the right thing after his late hit.

“It was just a little tap, but the offense did what they were supposed to do,” Roberts said. “You’re always supposed to protect your quarterback. I think it’s a really good thing you even see the mentality of the offense, man, protecting the quarterback. Imma stay away from the quarterback.”

Though Wilson was supposed to take starting reps in training camp, his delayed start due to a calf strain has allowed Fields to take a more prominent role. Early reports suggest that the Steelers are impressed by Fields’ progression, which could lead to a very difficult decision for the team next month.

Fields and Wilson are both exiting disappointing stints elsewhere, though they are at near opposite ends of an NFL career. Wilson, the veteran Super Bowl winner, struggled immensely in two seasons with the Broncos despite earning one of the league’s biggest contracts. At age 35, this chance in Pittsburgh may be his last.

Fields, on the other hand, began his career with the Chicago Bears three seasons ago, where the 25-year-old showed flashes of potential on one of the worst teams in the league. Nearing a completed rebuild this coming season, Chicago chose to move on from Fields and took USC star Caleb Williams with the first pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

It was always unclear how much Fields contributed to the Bears’ most recent stretch of losing seasons, as the offense would have been hapless with nearly anyone under center.

Still, Fields’ abrupt exit from the team just as it was beginning to build steam has made him a sympathetic figure for many fans who believe he deserves another shot. At the very least, he has earned the loyalty of his new offensive line in Pittsburgh. His progress from here, however, remains unclear.

For the past few years, quarterback Kenny Pickett has been at the center of Pittsburgh sports. Playing collegiately for Pitt from 2017-2021, he was taken by the hometown team with the 20th overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft.

He played with the Steelers for two seasons, but the two parties’ relationship began to sour near the end of last season. Most recently, Pittsburgh traded for quarterback Russell Wilson, which was the last straw for Pickett – he requested a trade and was sent to Philadelphia a day later. Pickett joins the Eagles as the backup behind Jalen Hurts, but a change of scenery seemed to be what he was looking for.

Pickett was reportedly unhappy with the signing of Wilson, who by all accounts came in to take the starting role. He canceled a workout with receivers the day of the trade and formally asked the organization to be traded himself a day later.

It wasn’t just the team’s efforts to bring in a new starter during the offseason that Pickett saw as a sign of disloyalty, but also in the 2023 season. Coming back from an injury, the Steelers chose to start Mason Rudolph, which was also a preference by Pickett’s teammates. In the final game of the season, Pickett didn’t even suit up for the team as the emergency third-string quarterback behind Rudolph and Mitch Trubisky.

“I came to this city seven years ago and my life changed forever. Grateful for all of the amazing people I was fortunate enough to cross paths with, and for all of those who supported me along the way,” Pickett said in a farewell social media post. “I made life-long friendships and relationships that I will always cherish. Now, I am honored and excited for the next opportunity in my career – being able to play for the team that helped me find my love for the game as a kid. Go Birds!”

Unlike many other professional athletes changing teams, Pickett failed to mention the Steelers organization, instead deciding to focus on the city and people as a whole. By not mentioning his former team or any players in particular, it’s safe to say that he’s satisfied with a fresh start.

Over the course of two seasons, Pickett only played a total of 25 games, in which he threw for a combined 4,474 yards, 13 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. The Steelers finished with a 9-8 record in 2022 and a 10-7 record in 2023 losing in the Wild Card Round to the Buffalo Bills.

Along with Wilson, Pittsburgh also brought in former Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields, who was signed shortly after Pickett was traded. Though Pickett played in a majority of the games with the Steelers, they have struggled to find a franchise quarterback since Ben Roethlisberger. Now, with Wilson and Fields, they have two chances to find a long-term solution.

Pickett, instead, goes to Philadelphia where he will be the No. 2 behind Hurts, and most likely only see action due to an injury or lopsided score.

Over the weekend the Chicago Bears traded quarterback Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers. In exchange, the Bears receive a 2025 sixth-round pick that converts to a fourth-round pick if Fields plays more than half of the Steeler’s snaps next season. After months of rumors involving Chicago’s No. 1 pick and the potential selection of USC quarterback Caleb Williams, Fields leaves the Bears after three seasons.

“Thank you to the entire Bears organization and ownership for allowing me the opportunity to be part of such a historic franchise,” Fields said in a farewell social media post. “But most of all thank you to my all my brothers that I played with. You all were the reason I attacked each day the way I did. I can’t thank you all enough for what y’all have meant to me over the last 3 years through the ups and downs. I wish each one of you nothing but success. Ready for this next chapter!”

Fields joins Russell Wilson in Pittsburgh, as the two will fight for the starting job. Kenny Pickett was previously the team’s starter but was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles shortly after Wilson signed with the Steelers.

Even with the 25-year-old’s arrival, head coach Mike Tomlin has already said that Fields will begin the season as the backup behind Wilson. Four other teams reached out to Chicago for a trade to acquire Fields, but it is reported that the Steelers were his top and only choice.

In the past, Fields has complimented Wilson and the fact that Pittsburgh was the only team he had his eyes on means he hopes to learn from the Super Bowl winner. Fields most likely had no other trade offers that guaranteed him a starting role, so that along with the departure of Pickett, the Steelers were his best possible option.

“I’ve always looked up to him,” Fields said about Wilson in 2021. “The kind of person he is on the field and off the field. He’s a great quarterback and a great person.”

In his three seasons with the Bears, Fields threw for a combined 6,674 yards, 40 touchdowns and 30 interceptions on a 60.8% passing rate, along with racking up 2,220 rushing yards and 14 rushing touchdowns. He had his most successful season last year as he finished with 2,562 yards, 14 passing touchdowns and nine interceptions, but Chicago finished 7-10 and last in the NFC North. The Bears traded up to select Fields with the 10th overall pick in 2021, but the former Ohio State Buckeye never truly lived up to the high expectations set by management and fans.

“We have engaged in multiple trade conversations in recent weeks and believe trading Justin at this time to Pittsburgh is what is best for both Justin and the Bears,” General Manager Ryan Poles said. “We want to thank him for his tireless dedication, leadership and all he poured into our franchise and community the last three years and wish him the best towards a long and successful NFL career.”

With Chicago saying farewell to the quarterback that many believe still had potential, there looks to be only one player that will take his spot. The Bears have the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming draft, and all signs point that they’ll take Williams with that selection.

Moving to Pittsburgh, it looks as though Fields got what he wanted in the end. He’ll have to prove himself worthy of a starting role, but he gets to do it under a potential future Hall of Famer in Wilson.

Following a dismal previous two seasons with the Denver Broncos, quarterback Russell Wilson has signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Though signing a five-year $245 million deal with Denver in 2022, Wilson was cut from the team before free agency. As he comes to Pittsburgh, the 35-year-old will only make a league minimum of $1.21 million for the 2024 season.

Wilson’s salary with the Steelers is similar to any backup quarterback in the league, so the signing was a low-risk, high-reward situation for the team. Though he’ll be the new guy in town, Wilson will still have to compete for the starting role against Kenny Pickett, who has led the team for the past few years.

Though the money Wilson will be making is a staggering difference from the contract he signed with the Broncos, his move to the Steelers on a minimum deal isn’t the worst thing in the world. Because he was released by the team, Wilson is still owed money from Denver and will be paid a total of $37.7 million for next season. By signing a much smaller contract, Wilson actually disadvantaged his old team, because if he were to make more money Denver would only have to pay the remaining difference in the two salaries. Instead, he signed the smallest contract possible, resulting in Denver having to pay a large majority of the remaining money owed.

Even though he put his old team in a worse situation, it is likely that the deal Wilson was offered from Pittsburgh was similar to that around the league. Following his poor showings in Denver, Wilson was not a high-value free agent, but his one year with the Steelers could change that narrative, and maybe provide a larger contract in the future.

In his two seasons with the Broncos, Wilson threw for 42 touchdowns and 19 interceptions with an average quarterback rating of 91.2. He looked better in his second year with the team under head coach Sean Payton but was eventually benched in the final games of the regular season. The Broncos held a combined 13-21 record with Wilson at the helm, and could never repeated the playoff success he found with the Seattle Seahawks.

Though it might be hard to remember his ability following his time in Denver, Wilson is a Super Bowl-winning quarterback and has shown top-tier skill from his time in Seattle. He comes to Pittsburgh with a Hall of Fame resume, but Wilson will still have to compete with Pickett for the starting job and a chance at another contract. The Steelers have finished third in the AFC East in the past two seasons with Pickett leading the team, but the experience of Wilson could prove beneficial in the extremely competitive division. 

It’s been a tough last few years for Wilson, so hopefully he can make the best of it. 

The Denver Broncos cut veteran safety Justin Simmons Thursday in order to gain $14.5 million in cap space ahead of the 2024 season. Simmons has been with Denver since 2016 and made his second Pro Bowl appearance last season.

“Justin Simmons’ impact as a Denver Bronco extends far beyond his exceptional play during eight seasons with our organization,” the Broncos said in a statement. “Justin will always be a Bronco, and we thank him for the outstanding manner in which he represented our organization on and off the field. We wish Justin, his wife Taryn, and their children Laney, Shae and Kyler the very best in the future.”  

The Broncos selected Simmons in the third round of the 2016 draft out of Boston College. With limited playing time in his rookie season, he still secured two interceptions, 30 tackles and a sack, making an instant impact and eventually earning a starting role. He has earned at least two interceptions in every season since and has been named a Second-Team All-Pro four times.

With Simmons still playing at a high level, it is clear that he will find another team in need of veteran experience in its secondary. The Broncos did not part ways with Simmons out of a desire to move on, but out of financial necessity.

Denver is preparing to take a $35 million cap hit by releasing quarterback Russell Wilson, which means that front office officials have to part ways with expensive personnel they could have retained otherwise. Simmons is one such player being sacrificed.

When the Broncos traded with the Seahawks for Wilson, dealing away multiple players and a trove of draft picks, they believed that they were rebuilding their franchise with a ready-made star quarterback. Instead, the team was so bad under Wilson in 2022 that the organization had to give up even more draft picks to bring in new head coach Sean Payton to turn things around in 2023. The team didn’t improve nearly enough to reach contender status.

As Denver finally cuts bait and moves on from Wilson, more players like Simmons could get caught in the crosshairs as the team moves piece around. This could have a severe impact on the team’s future prospects, which have been increasingly low since the team’s Super Bowl runs in the mid-2010s.

The Denver Broncos announced on Monday that they are set to release quarterback Russell Wilson. Wilson played just two seasons with the Broncos despite signing a five-year $245 million deal with the team after being traded from the Seattle Seahawks in March 2022. Previously a Super Bowl winner with Seattle, the 35-year-old will now attempt to jumpstart his career with a new team. Wilson gave his thanks to the team and fans in a statement on X.

“On behalf of the Broncos, we thank Russell for his contributions and dedication to our team and community while wishing him the best as he continues his career,” Broncos head coach Sean Payton and general manager George Paton said in a joint statement. “As we move forward, we are focused on building the strongest team possible for the 2024 season and beyond. We are excited to improve this offseason and will have the flexibility to get better through the draft and free agency.”

Wilson averaged 219.8 yards per game with a 63.4% completion rate in his two seasons in Denver. In that span, he had a total of 42 touchdowns and 19 interceptions while the team had a combined 13-21 record in the two regular seasons. The Broncos were last in scoring in 2022 and as the season drew to an end in 2023, Wilson was benched, despite being the highest-paid player on the team. While things initially looked positive between the Broncos and Wilson, his short tenure with the team proved to only be a negative experience for both sides.

By releasing Wilson, the Broncos put themselves in a spot unique to no other team. Due to his significant contract, Denver will have to carry an extra $85 million in dead cap space over the next two years. The team did save $37 million by cutting Wilson before the official start of the 2024 season, but the money left on their books is the most in NFL history.

In his place is backup quarterback Ben DiNucci with only a few career starts, but the team also has the 12th overall pick in the upcoming draft and has a large talent pool to choose from. Of those top-ranked college players hoping to find success at the next level, Bo Nix, Michael Penix Jr. and J.J. McCarthy are all potential targets. The team could also hope to land a new starter in the free agent market or through a trade, as Sam Darnold, Gardner Minshew and Justin Fields have all been in recent rumors with the team.

The Broncos sent five draft picks and three active players in exchange for Wilson two years ago, along with signing him to one of the biggest contracts in the league. Despite proving himself as a top-tier quarterback in his time with Seattle, the pieces never perfectly fit together for Wilson in Denver. Regardless, Wilson will now have to find a new team and hope his future performances can help reinstate him as one of the league’s best quarterbacks.

The Denver Broncos will reportedly cut or trade quarterback Russell Wilson at the end of the 2023 season. With the team effectively eliminated from playoff contention, Wilson will be replaced by backup Jarrett Stidham for the next two weeks.

Wilson’s impending departure was first reported Wednesday, with sources also claiming that the team has spent much of the season trying to restructure his contract. As is, the quarterback is scheduled to receive $39 million in 2024 and $37 million in 2025. That 2025 money would become guaranteed if Wilson was still on the team in March.

Wilson seemed to respond to the reports late Wednesday night on social media.

“God’s got me,” Wilson wrote. “Looking forward to what’s next.”

After nearly two full seasons with the Broncos, it is fair now to consider Wilson’s tenure in Denver disappointing. Since moving on from Seattle in 2022, the quarterback has only thrown for 300 yards in a single game on three occasions. His overall passer rating as a Bronco is 90.9.

As for the team’s performance during his tenure, Denver has struggled accordingly. Under two different head coaches since Wilson arrived, the team has fallen well below once-lofty expectations and earned a combined 12-20 record. In an AFC West division dominated by the Chiefs, the Broncos have never seriously challenged them and have more closely resembled the hapless Raiders and dysfunctional Chargers.

It is unlikely that Stidham is a permanent solution under center for Denver, though the team seems to be sitting Wilson to give him more snaps. Stidham most recently played for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2022 and previously made a handful of starts for the New England Patriots.

As things stand now, the Broncos have a 7-8 record and would receive the 14th pick in the upcoming draft, leaving them well out of contention to receive the most promising 2023 quarterback prospects. The team will have to deal with cap space issues regardless of whether it trades or releases Wilson, though the amount of guaranteed money that the team absorbs depends on the terms of his departure.

The Denver Broncos paid a hefty price to bring in Sean Payton as its new head coach – but now he is faced with the challenge of turning a former star quarterback career back in the right direction.

Unlike most coaches, the 59-year-old was under contract until 2024 with the New Orleans Saints.

Following the 2021 season, Payton shockingly decided to step down and said his “heart” wasn’t into coaching at the moment.

But it looks like that has turned around and the Broncos got him in Mile High City.

So badly that the organization traded a 2023 first-round pick and a 2024 second-rounder to him, reports ESPN insider Adam Schefter.

The move came just weeks after firing head coach Nathaniel Hackett during a disappointing season.

Ahead of the season, there was a lot of optimism surrounding the Broncos after it acquired Russell Wilson in a blockbuster deal.

But Wilson, along with the former coach, underperformed massively in 2022.

Now Payton will be tasked with getting the 34-year-old back on track.

One thing to note about Wilson is he isn’t just your traditional pocket passer, as he is most effective when using his feat.

Wilson last year rushed for just 277 yards – the second-lowest of his career.

And Payton has been an outstanding offensive mind in the league.

In his 15-season career with the Saints, his offense reportedly ranked outside the top 10 three times in points.

Sure he had future hall-of-famer Drew Brees as his quarterback – but he also turned Taysom Hill into a weapon.

Hill, in particular, was used heavily in wild cat packages.

Meanwhile, Payton also won games with Hill as his quarterback when Brees was hurt.

Under Payton, Hill went 7-2 as a starter.

But Payton will need to find a balance between run packages and passing plays for Wilson.

He’s a quarterback that can beat you in a multitude of ways – but that wasn’t of course on display with Hackett.

Wilson in his career has thrown for more than 40,000 yards and 308 touchdowns, along with almost 5,000 rushing yards.

News broke Wednesday that only half of the Denver Broncos’ players attended Russell Wilson’s birthday party, allowing countless NFL analysts to make connections between the party and a highly anticipated locker room mutiny reportedly in the works for weeks. It didn’t take long for commenters to draw comparisons to the movie, Draft Day, which features a very similar plot point surrounding fictional quarterback Bo Callahan.

It was a naturally grabby story with an even more natural reaction for fans to latch on to and it quickly became the talking point of the day within the league. I’m sure the ad revenue was great.

In other news, Wilson completed 19 of 35 passes for 142 yards and a touchdown Sunday against the Carolina Panthers. The painfully average 75.5 QBR he earned was one of his best this season, which isn’t saying much because he’s appeared hapless for most of it. The Broncos lost 23-10.

The birthday party’s a lot funnier to talk about though, right?

When everything’s going wrong for an individual in sports, it becomes much easier to attack their personal life. Tom Brady’s divorce would have been news in any case, but the narrative undoubtedly got a little juicier following a noticeable regression in his play on the field. Urban Meyer’s toxic coaching style suddenly became far more pressing last season with the lowly Jaguars than it ever was when he coached at Florida.

Now, Wilson’s laid-back, unavailable demeanor toward teammates has become a talking point as he goes from an MVP-caliber quarterback to a player past his prime. If his teammates and fans in Denver dislike him, it’s not because of his personality. It’s because his arrival gave them hope of a Super Bowl that he no longer seems capable of delivering.

Though there are exceptional cases that should be appreciated as such, the fact of the matter is that most people don’t change past a certain point in their lives. And in the world of sports, love for adult athletes is directly tied to their potential or present performance value, and that love warps or conceals weaknesses until it fades. Then these flaws suddenly become glaringly apparent and we regard them as shocking and new.

Wilson’s issue right now isn’t a scatter-shot attendance record at his birthday party. He’s reportedly always been a distant teammate. His issue is that the Broncos are 3-8, and his advanced age and a career’s worth of injuries have slowed him down and don’t allow him to escape the pocket or scramble anymore. Despite his immense accomplishments, he now appears to be little more than an overpaid pocket-passer with an average arm. That’s the only thing that’s changed.

As if his recent on-field struggles weren’t troubling enough, Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson was recently criticized by an old teammate for his personality in the locker room.

Former Seattle Seahawks fullback Michael Robinson is predicting a mutiny in Denver’s locker room due to Wilson’s passive demeanor.

“If you’re a teammate in that locker room, you’re like, be human! Please! Call somebody out! Be upset about something! Don’t just act like this is just business as usual!” Robinson said on NFL Network’s Total Access Tuesday. “Because at the end of the day, I think it’s on the horizon for this team — I hope it’s not — but I think it’s on the horizon: Mutiny is afoot.”

Robinson went on to say that his former quarterback, who signed a $245 million contract with Denver last offseason, is sure to anger his teammates by failing to demonstrate a competitive edge in the face of a disappointing 2-4 start.

The retired fullback predicted that teammates in the locker room will begin to interpret Wilson’s attitude as non-caring.

“How can you stand up there, you know the offense looks like this, you know all these questions around here about you and the offense, and you just say, ‘We need to execute better, let’s ride,’” Robinson said.

Following his departure from Seattle after 10 seasons and a Super Bowl victory, many expected the Broncos to become an instant contender. The team hasn’t come close to meeting those expectations, however, as their offense has been noticeably stagnant in multiple primetime games.

Robinson may be Wilson’s most outspoken former teammate in recent days, but he is not the only one criticizing the quarterback.

Former Seahawks stars Richard Sherman and Marshawn Lynch criticized his personality on Sherman’s podcast Tuesday. Sherman claimed that Wilson did not make himself available to his former teammates, and Lynch said that he resents Wilson for never giving him his personal phone number.

“If I can’t call you direct, I ain’t calling you — especially if I went to war with you,” Lynch said.

Sherman also said that Wilson and the Broncos were on “the struggle bus,” referring to the team’s 2022 performance and potential locker room issues.

In the past, Wilson has been able to silence many of his critics on the field, where he has always earned his large contracts with superior quarterback play. This season has marked a deviation from that trend thus far.

It’s been so painful for Denver Broncos fans that it wasn’t worth them to stay another quarter in a tie game on Thursday Night Football.

But it turns out it was the right decision. 

All night, it was a painfully bad offensive display from both the Broncos and the Indianapolis Colts.

There were a total of four turnovers committed in the game by both sides and not a single touchdown was registered.

But what exactly led to fans leaving the game in the fourth quarter? 

Well, it’s probably a combination of multiple things.

This year, the Broncos rank 31st out of 32 teams in points per game, according to TeamRankings.

The only team behind them? You might be stunned to find out after last night’s masterpiece – but it’s the Colts.

Despite the lack of offense, the Broncos were in a great position to win the game.

The team was in the red zone with a 9-6 lead with just over two minutes left.

The Colts have no timeouts so you can either get a first down or take a field goal, which would have forced a touchdown to be scored.

Instead, on a third and four, quarterback Russell Wilson threw an interception in the end zone – giving the Colts a chance to march down the field and at least tie the game.

And that’s exactly what happened.

The Colts kicked a field goal with five seconds left and the cameras shortly after showed a ton of Broncos fans heading for the exits.

So, in combination of brutal offensive display this season in addition to Thursday night’s fiasco, fans had enough.

And it’s almost as if they knew that it wouldn’t get any better if they stayed.

After they left, the Colts marched down the field for another three points.

While the Broncos did the same, head coach Nathaniel Hackett decided to go for it on a fourth and short in the red zone and win the game instead of tying it.

Now there’s nothing wrong with that call because the game may end with a tie or a Colts win since there were only about two minutes left in the overtime period if the Broncos decided to kick the field goal.

But some argue the Broncos should have tried running the football again.

Meanwhile, on a passing play, Wilson wound up missing a wide-open KJ Hamler in the end zone and threw an incomplete pass into coverage when it was too late. 

Now the Broncos are 2-3 and the fans have lost all confidence in Wilson and the Bronco’s offense. 

In the offseason, the Broncos acquired Wilson in a package that included sending two first and second-round picks. 

So far, the trade has been a nightmare for the organization. 

Wilson will need to return to that 30-40 touchdown guy he once was. 

But four touchdowns in five games with a completion percentage of only 59.4 percent won’t cut it.