Russell Wilson’s $18m Tony Romo-inspired retirement plan laid out with career deadline looming
Russell Wilson’s NFL career has taken a nosedive.
The quarterback appeared to be Hall of Fame-bound after winning the Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks and coming within one notorious Marshawn Lynch snub of another.
But since leaving the Seahawks for the Denver Broncos in one of the worst trades of all time, he has flopped at Mile High, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and New York Giants.
Wilson turned 37 during a season in which he was passed by Jaxson Dart and Jameis Winston in the pecking order.
His one-year deal is up with the Giants and the free agent hasn’t been snapped up yet after going 69-of-119 for 831 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions in six games (three starts).
Wilson joined CBS Sports as an analyst for the Week 14 showdown between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens during the G-Men’s bye.
Matt Ryan said Wilson was a “natural” and called him “comfortable on camera.”
Russell Wilson could earn more as a broadcaster than on the field
Like him or loathe him, the self-styled ‘Mr Unlimited’ would certainly command a decent salary if he were to move into the booth — possibly more than he could earn on the field at this stage.
Wilson was on a $10.5 million annual package with the Giants, while Tony Romo earns around $18 million per year with CBS.
Tom Brady‘s staggering 10-year, $375 million FOX Sports deal remains the benchmark.
But Wilson isn’t ready to hang up the cleats and pick up a microphone.
“I wanna play a few more years, for sure. I think, for me, I’ve always had the vision of [playing till] 40, at least,” he told the on the Bussin’ With the Boys podcast.
“The game is different. You know, we quarterbacks, we get hit. We get hit hard, but [there’s] certain rules now. I mean, back in the day, when I started, you’d just get [hit constantly]… So, the game, I feel like allows you to live a little longer.
“I feel healthy, I feel great. But I think more than anything else, do you love the game? Do you love studying? Do u have the passion for it all? Do you love the process? Do you love the practice?
“Everybody loves the winning part, but it’s the process, the journey that you gotta be obsessed with. And that part, I’m obsessed with. Being around the fellas in the locker room and all that.”
John Elway, Peyton Manning and Brady all won Super Bowls when they ere either approaching, or the other side, of 40.
Wilson playing to 40 would see him hang around the NFL until 2029.
Wilson added: “I think about certain guys. I think about Elway… even Peyton Manning himself… Some of ’em didn’t win till the end… Even Tom himself, who played till 45, you know, has been the greatest examples for anybody at this position.
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“I think it’s about being around the right people, [at] the right time.”
Wilson has earned $315 million in his career so far, but starting jobs could be hard to come by.
With the Kansas City Chiefs opting for his former Steelers teammate Justin Fields as injury insurance, options are running out.
His best chance could be to act as a bridge quarterback for a team taking a chance on a rookie, with the Las Vegas Raiders a potential fit.
“After Russell Wilson struggled last season and was swiftly benched for Jaxson Dart, he makes the most sense as a backup. The Packers, Jets and Browns are all teams that potentially could prefer an experienced backup in Wilson,” Eva Geitheim of Sports Illustrate wrote.
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