Former Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson is walking away from the NFL.
According to multiple reports on Monday morning, Wilson is stepping away from the NFL and heading into a career in the broadcast booth.
“Sources: Ten-time Pro-Bowl quarterback Russell Wilson is finalizing a deal to become a CBS Sports analyst,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter wrote on his official X account. “Wilson won a Super Bowl, the Walter Payton Man of the Year award and now leaves the NFL to become an analyst on the network’s pregame show that includes James Brown, Nate Burleson and Bill Cowher.”
Wilson, a 9-time Pro Bowler, played 14 NFL seasons for 4 different teams, including 2 disastrous seasons with the Broncos in 2022 and 2023. He led the Seattle Seahawks to a Super Bowl win following the 2013 season, where they routed the Broncos, 43-8.
Broncos Made ‘Worst Trade of Decade’ in 2022
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox called the Broncos’ trade with the Seahawks for Wilson in 2022 “Worst NFL Trade of the Last 10 Years” for the franchise.
“The Denver Broncos’ ill-fated 2022 trade for Russell Wilson has largely been overshadowed by the disastrous deal Cleveland made for Deshaun Watson in the same offseason,” Knox wrote. “However, that doesn’t mean that Denver’s deal was a good one. In fact, the Wilson trade might be considered the worst of the last decade if not for the Watson debacle. The Broncos coughed up two first-round picks, two second-round picks, a fifth-round pick, quarterback Drew Lock, defensive lineman Shelby Harris and tight end Noah Fant to acquire Wilson and a fourth-round pick. The Broncos then signed Wilson to an extension worth $242.6 million over five years with $161 million guaranteed.”
The trade ended up with the Broncos eating $85 million in dead cap money spread out over the 2024 and 2025 seasons after releasing Wilson in March 2024.
“Russell Wilson is out of the NFL now, three years before his contract extension with the Broncos was supposed to end,” DNVR’s Zac Stevens wrote on his official X account on Monday. “Broncos handled the dead cap incredibly well, making it to the playoffs in both years.”
Russell Wilson & Sean Payton Butted Heads in 2023
The writing was on the wall for Wilson once Nathaniel Hackett was fired after one season as Denver’s head coach in 2022 and replaced with former New Orleans Saints head coach and Super Bowl champion Sean Payton.
Wilson and Payton famously butted heads, but the bottom line was Wilson went 11-19 over 2 seasons in Denver until he was eventually released following the 2023 season.
Wilson rejuvenated his career somewhat in 2024 with the Pittsburgh Steelers on a 1-year, $1.2 million contract.
After missing the first 6 games of the season due to injury — Justin Fields started in his place — Wilson returned to go 6-5 for the Steelers, who made the AFC Playoffs before losing to the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Wild Card Round, with Wilson going 20-of-29 passing for 270 yards, two touchdowns, and zero interceptions.
Wilson spent the 2025 season with the New York Giants, starting the 1st 2 games before he was replaced by 2025 1st round pick Jaxson Dart.
In the 2 seasons since releasing Wilson, the Broncos have made 2 consecutive playoff appearances, including a 14-3 regular-season record and an appearance in the AFC Championship Game following the 2025 season.
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