Right now, there’s no question Russell Wilson is the Pittsburgh Steelers’ starting quarterback. That answer becomes less definitive come the offseason. With all three quarterbacks heading into free agency, the Steelers have big decisions to make come March. Re-signing Wilson is the most likely course of action, but the more critical question is determining his value, a 36-year-old reviving his career after two tough seasons in Denver.
Appearing on FOX Sports’ The Herd with Colin Cowherd Friday, NFL insider Jordan Schultz said Wilson could receive a deal similar to what Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield signed last March.
“I think they believe they have found that solution in Russell Wilson,” Schultz said of the 14th-year veteran being a long-term fixture at quarterback.
In a follow-up tweet, Schultz made a similar assessment, calling Wilson a “key component” of the team’s future. Pittsburgh had started four different Week 1 quarterbacks in four-straight seasons: Ben Roethlisberger in 2021, Mitch Trubisky in 2022, Kenny Pickett in 2023, and Justin Fields in 2024.
Technically, bringing Wilson back for 2025 would make him the fifth considering his calf injury knocked him out of the first six weeks of the season, but it would be a sign of stability and consistency at sports’ most important position. The same could be said for Wilson. Leaving Pittsburgh to sign elsewhere would mean playing for his third team in as many years, something unappealing for any quarterback, much less one in his mid-30s.
“They win a playoff game, there is a very good chance the Steelers extend Russell Wilson similarly to what Tampa did with Baker Mayfield, which was three years, $100 million,” Schultz said.
Mayfield bounced around after being pushed out of Cleveland for Deshaun Watson. He spent time with the Carolina Panthers and Los Angeles Rams before finding his footing with the Buccaneers. After signing in 2023, he threw for 28 touchdowns while leading the Bucs to a 9-8 record and playoff berth, besting the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild Card round. He was rewarded with a long-term deal worth $33.3 million per season.
Russel Wilson could be in line for similar, potentially a bit more as the cap raises and quarterbacks get more expensive. Mayfield’s salary is cheap relative to the rest of the league’s non-rookie starters. And a shorter deal is wiser than a longer one that would extend Wilson into his 40s, even if he’s expressed a desire to play that long. As Schultz has reported, a close bond between head coach and quarterback can get a deal over the finish line.
“The biggest thing Russell has going with him is his relationship with Mike Tomlin,” he said. “That dates way back when they met for multiple hours before Russ signed. Tomlin really advocated him to ownership. Said, ‘This is the guy I can build around.'”
If Russell Wilson ends Pittsburgh’s playoff victory drought that dates back to 2016, it’s nearly guaranteed he’ll remain a Steeler. Even if the Steelers fall short yet again, the odds of Wilson returning 2025 are high. Pittsburgh doesn’t want to start over. Neither does Wilson. When those feelings are mutual, deals usually get done.
