CBS hands Russell Wilson unexpected opportunity as New York Giants quarterback takes first steps towards next career

Russell Wilson, the broadcaster?

The Super Bowl–winning quarterback will briefly swap his helmet for a microphone this weekend as he begins exploring what might come next in his career.

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The Giants have a much-needed bye this weekend, and Wilson will use his free time to explore a potential path into the media and broadcasting world with CBS.

With his career seemingly winding down and his days as an NFL starter likely behind him, Wilson looks to be getting a jump on his future plans.

Sure, he would have no trouble landing a backup role next year if he wants to keep playing. But if he’s leaning toward a different chapter, broadcasting opportunities seem to be waiting, and CBS is already making its move.

“Thrilled to have 10x Pro Bowler, 2020 Walter Payton Man of the Year and Super Bowl Champion [Russell Wilson] on to talk ball this Sunday,” the NFL on CBS announced this week.

It’s unclear what role the 37-year-old will take on this Sunday with the major network, but CBS’ announcement did include a graphic highlighting its flagship shows, The NFL Today and NFL Today+.

It’s safe to assume Wilson will appear in some capacity between the two and probably both.

Though some have labeled him quirky or even inauthentic at times, Wilson has all the tools to thrive in media and become a major personality.

Despite any occasional cheesiness, he’s sharp, confident in front of the camera, easy to connect with, and brings a level of NFL credibility that demands respect.

This is the perfect chance for Wilson to reveal a more human side, show some personality, and prove he’s far from the cliché robot he’s been known as over the past decade.

Whether he parlays that into a full-time media career once he hangs up his cleats remains to be seen, but this Sunday will be valuable practice regardless.

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As for Wilson’s performance on the field over the past couple of seasons? It hasn’t been good, and that ship looks to have sailed.

He’s on his fourth team in five years and was benched after just three weeks this season for a rookie.

His head coach was fired this year in large part due to Wilson’s poor play to start the year and the team never being able to set itself straight.

So once again, the end appears near—and it could arrive as soon as this January, unless Wilson chooses to continue as a backup, which, given his competitive nature, may not be in the cards.

The next debate, regardless of what he chooses to do next, will be if he is a Hall of Famer?

Wilson has an extremely good resume, but is it just that? The Hall of extremely good?

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NFL's Greatest......

Ranking the top 10......

Quarterbacks of all-time – Can anyone better Tom Brady?

Wide receivers of all-time – Does Randy Moss or Jerry Rice come out on top?

Running backs of all-time – Stacking Jim Brown, Barry Sanders, Walter Payton, Emmitt Smith and more

Tight ends of all-time – How does Travis Kelce compare?

He is widely recognized as being in the Eli Manning–Philip Rivers tier.

The Seattle Seahawks great has thrown for nearly 47,000 yards and over 350 touchdowns, ranking 16th and 12th respectively in NFL history.

And of course, he was part of one of the most dominant teams of the 2010s. While the Legion of Boom received most of the credit and Marshawn Lynch grabbed the headlines, it shouldn’t be forgotten that Wilson was the one steering the ship.

The debates will rage, the arguments will grow loud, and before long, we may all be tuning in on Sunday not to watch Wilson play, but to listen to him as a broadcaster.

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