Russell Wilson to sign with Pittsburgh Steelers, per report
Mar 10, 2024, 9:26 PM | Updated: 9:35 pm
Russell Wilson of the Seattle Seahawks scrambles against the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2019. (Justin Berl/Getty Images)
(Justin Berl/Getty Images)
Former Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson will continue his NFL career with the Pittsbugh Steelers, according to a report Sunday night by ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
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Schefter wrote in a social media post that Wilson will sign a “team-friendly” one-year deal for the NFL league veteran minimum of $1.21 million, with the Broncos still on the hook for the rest of the $39 million salary owed to the nine-time Pro Bowler in 2024 after releasing him.
Wilson seemed to confirm the report on his social media account.
Year 13. Grateful. @Steelers pic.twitter.com/0U4Q2sRtXs
— Russell Wilson (@DangeRussWilson) March 11, 2024
Wilson met Friday for over six hours with a group of Steelers officials that included head coach Mike Tomlin and new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, per Schefter.
Though teams can’t officially sign most free agents until Wednesday, Wilson can be signed beforehand because unlike players whose contracts finished after the 2023 season, the Broncos will release him from his contract when the new league year starts Monday.
Wilson reportedly also met with the New York Giants last week.
A third-round NFL Draft pick by the Seattle Seahawks in 2012, Wilson won a Super Bowl with the Hawks and helped lead the team to an appearance in another. The 35 year old is widely regarded as the most successful quarterback in the franchise’s history, but he had a falling out with the team that led to his trade to the Broncos after the 2021 season, a move that is now considered one of the most lopsided trades the NFL has ever seen.
Not only did acquiring Wilson (and a fourth-round draft pick) cost Denver two first-round picks, two second-round picks, a fifth-round pick and three players, but the Broncos will eat $85 million of dead salary cap over the next two years after signing Wilson to a contract extension that he never played a down on.
Wilson was 11-19 in two seasons with the Broncos. He bounced back from a dreadful 2022 season and threw 3,070 yards, 26 touchdowns and only eight interceptions, but still lost his job after going 7-8 in coach Sean Payton’s first season last year.
Wilson led Seattle to eight playoff appearances in 10 seasons with the Seahawks.
The Steelers lost a wild-card playoff game with Mason Rudolph as their starting quarterback. Rudolph went 3-0 after replacing Kenny Pickett, who was 7-5 before going down with an injury.
This post includes contributions from The Associated Press.
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