Reported since Sunday night, the Pittsburgh Steelers officially announced that they have signed quarterback Russell Wilson. The team made the announcement following his release from the Denver Broncos once the new league year began.
The team sent out this photo of Wilson signing his deal at the team facility. A press conference is expected to be held later today.
And Wilson sent out this message to Steeler Nation, telling fans “Here We Go.”
A Super Bowl-winning quarterback with 188 starts, Wilson was released after spending two years with the Broncos. Denver gave Wilson permission to speak with teams prior to officially cutting him, essentially making him a free agent for the first time in his career. Wilson, 35, visited with the New York Giants Thursday before flying into Pittsburgh Friday morning. He reportedly spent six hours with Steelers brass, including Mike Tomlin and new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.
As announced by the Steelers, Russell Wilson inked a one-year deal, reportedly for the league minimum this year of just over $1.2 million. Due to offset language in his deal with the Broncos, Denver will be on the hook for roughly $38 million of his salary. His cheap cost made him a unique situation and likely sparked the Steelers’ interest in signing him.
According to multiple reports, the Steelers told Wilson he would not be a guaranteed starter. Instead, he’ll battle with incumbent Kenny Pickett in training camp for the starting job. Pittsburgh has publicly stated a desire for a quarterback battle throughout the summer.
Wilson will retain his No. 3 jersey, the digit he’s worn throughout his NFL career. He sent out a video earlier this week unboxing his new threads, confirming he’ll keep his jersey number.
For his career, Wilson boasts a 115-72-1 record, throwing for over 43,000 yards with 334 touchdowns. In 2023, he completed two-thirds of his passes with 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions, though he was also sacked 45 times.
Signing Wilson is one of several moves the Steelers made prior to the new league year kicking off. They’ve also reportedly signed P Cameron Johnston and LB Patrick Queen and traded WR Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers for CB Donte Jackson and a Day 3 pick swap. Yesterday, they also added S DeShon Elliott on a two-year deal.
Moments ago, the Steelers also officially announced their three-year deal for Queen, the highest-paid outside free agent in team history.
