Why Russell Wilson spurned Jets, other NFL QB options for CBS Sports TV analyst job
Russell Wilson isn’t ready to say he’s retired, but there is a strong chance his playing career ended Monday.
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The 37-year-old is joining CBS Sports as an analyst, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported, with Wilson set to be on the CBS desk during the network’s national pregame show hosted by James Brown.
Wilson told the New York Post in May that he was weighing an offer from the New York Jets and a TV offer, though his NFL offers at this point were limited to backup roles. Wilson joined the New York Giants as a starter last offseason before being benched three games into the year.
Here’s what you need to know about Wilson’s decision to start his TV career.
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Why Russell Wilson chose TV analyst job over NFL
After 14 years primarily as a starter, Wilson had to grapple with the decision to continue his career as a backup or take what is presumably a lucrative offer to work once per week on the CBS desk. Like many longtime starters, he decided life as a backup wasn’t worth the cost.
A backup quarterback job may seem comfortable — Wilson could have earned a decent salary to hold a clipboard, unless an injury opened the door for him to start again — but with young children at home, spending long stretches of the year away from family to sit on the bench likely wasn’t so appealing for a player who has accomplished more than the vast majority of quarterbacks in NFL history.
What could have kept Wilson in the NFL was the chance to stay right where he was in New York. Wilson visited the Jets in April and said in May that he had a contract offer from the team, which would have reunited him with former Seahawks teammate Geno Smith with their roles reversed this time around.
In late May, however, ESPN’s Rich Cimini reported the Jets were holding off on adding a veteran backup quarterback while they evaluated rookie Cade Klubnik. It’s unclear whether that impacted Wilson’s decision at all, or if the team already knew Wilson was headed to CBS.
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It isn’t especially common for a longtime NFL starting quarterback to linger as a backup. Like Matt Ryan, who joined CBS in 2023 but didn’t officially announce his retirement until the following year, Wilson will step into the role knowing his playing days are more than likely over.
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Did Russell Wilson retire?
Wilson hasn’t yet announced his retirement from the NFL, despite taking a TV job with CBS Sports.
The decision is «at least a pause on his playing career,» according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Wilson has yet to publicly comment on the move, so it’s still possible he confirms his playing career is over when he makes the news official.
Whether or not Wilson is leaving the door open for a return to the field, there is a strong chance his career is over. The 37-year-old wasn’t able to find a starting job this offseason, to no surprise, and that’s unlikely to change unless the right team becomes desperate after a quarterback injury.
If Wilson’s career over, he steps away with 46,966 passing yards, 353 touchdown passes and 121 career wins along with a Super Bowl ring with the Seahawks.
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