Russell Wilson is at a crossroads. If he doesn’t come back to the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason, he’ll be on his third team in three years. At 36, that’s a tough spot for a quarterback to be in, and it would put Wilson on a journeyman type of story arc to end his career. On Monday, ESPN’s Dan Graziano was asked whether Wilson should retire or return in 2025.
“I don’t think it’s the worst idea,” Graziano said via Get Up. “He’s made over $300 million in salary playing NFL football. Certainly got plenty he can do after his career. The last three years have gone poorly, I just don’t get it. I think he still feels like he has something to prove, I’m just not sure if he has the ability left to prove it.”
Anybody familiar with Russell Wilson knows he wants to play football for as long as physically possible. However, he is in a precarious situation. Wilson has never been a backup. At this age, if he signed to become a backup somewhere, the chances of him becoming a starter again are slim.
Wilson now finds himself in the same situation as many accomplished quarterbacks in the twilight of their career. His skill set is dwindling, and there are limitations to his game. If Wilson finds a new home, he’ll essentially be a certified journeyman quarterback. Once those players become backups, especially this late in their career, the future looks a little bleaker.
All of that said, Graziano emphasized that he doesn’t expect Wilson to call it a career anytime soon.
“I’d be stunned if Russell Wilson retires,” Graziano said.
Wilson have given no indication that he is thinking about retiring. He’s already talked this offseason about wanting to return to Pittsburgh in 2025. There are potential benefits from a move like that. Additionally, free agency is just a couple of weeks away. Wilson is focusing on locking in a team before anything else.
Still, at this point in his career, it’s a situation to monitor. The number of options he has this offseason will be telling. If Russell Wilson finds it hard to land with a starting job anywhere, it’s a decision that could start to wear on his mind. Or he could return to the Steelers and consider Pittsburgh a stable place to wind his playing career down. We’ll just have to see.
