Ralph Vacchiano
NFL Reporter
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — It was only three years ago that Russell Wilson was one of the highest-paid players in NFL history. He was on the fast track toward the Hall of Fame. And he wasn’t showing many signs of decline either.
Today, though, he is a 36-year-old backup, benched for the first time in his 14-year career, and after just three games with the New York Giants. And he’s trending in the wrong direction, too. Going back to his late fade last season in Pittsburgh, he’s had maybe two good games in his last nine.
The signs of decline seem obvious. It’s hard not to imagine this benching is the beginning of the end of his career.
Yet somehow, the 10-time Pro Bowler believes the best may still be yet to come.
“I’m not done,” a defiant Wilson said on Wednesday after his first practice leading the Giants’ second stringers. “I’ve got so much belief in myself and know what I’m capable of. I believe I was able to show it, especially on the road in Dallas [two weeks ago].
“I do know that I can assist this soccer crew if that comes up.”
Barring an damage, he’s not prone to get that likelihood now that the Giants are dedicated to rookie Jaxson Dart, the franchise quarterback they traded again into the primary spherical to draft again in April. Embattled Giants coach Brian Daboll made the earlier-than-expected swap on Tuesday, two days after Wilson went simply 18-for-32 for 160 yards with two interceptions in a lackluster 22-9 loss to the Chiefs.
It didn’t go unnoticed, although — particularly by Wilson — that seven days earlier than that he threw for 450 yards and three touchdowns in an additional time loss in Dallas. That standout efficiency left the veteran satisfied that his expertise remains to be there, even when he may need a tough time convincing others.
“I believe that is the one factor I’ve discovered within the highest moments and one of the best occasions and coming off a recreation like Dallas. You reside in that second, and also you take pleasure in it, and it’s important to come again within the subsequent one,” Wilson stated. “Life is usually a 16-round battle. Soccer is a 16-round battle typically. Life is about response. Generally you’re feeling like within the second, you’re feeling such as you’re on the finish of one thing or one thing’s heavy. And I believe for me, I consider I am nonetheless in spherical 5, spherical six. That is my mentality.”
Wilson additionally made it clear that his subsequent spherical shall be in New York, the place he intends to honor the one-year, $10.5 million contract he signed again in March, regardless of his demotion. Although he is aware of plenty of NFL groups have been pressured to begin backup quarterbacks over the previous few weeks attributable to accidents to their starters, he insisted he has no plans to ask the Giants for a commerce or for his launch.
“No, I am targeted on serving to this crew win,” Wilson stated. “I am targeted on serving to Jaxson. I need to be right here. I like this group. I like the blokes within the locker room. I am not giving up on us on this season.
“I simply do not know some other thought, some other factor, than discovering a method by means of. Generally you have to climb beneath the wall. Generally you have to battle by means of it. Generally there are battles and issues that you simply face in life or in sport. I’ll assist prepared the ground in each method I can to ensure that we determine that out.”
Left unsaid is the truth that even when Wilson did need out, it’s not clear he’d discover one other job. His two begins for the Giants sandwiched round that recreation in Dallas have been atrocious (35-for-69, 50.7%, for 328 yards, 0 touchdowns and two interceptions). And his final six begins in Pittsburgh final season weren’t significantly better. He reached 220 passing yards solely as soon as (in a playoff loss in Baltimore) and, with Wilson main the best way, the Steelers misplaced their final 5 video games to spoil a promising season.
That’s not a horny résumé for any crew on the lookout for a starter, and there is probably not many choices for him — particularly at his superior age — even in 2026. However these bleak prospects haven’t deterred him or shattered his confidence. He stated he plans to proceed to be the chief the Giants signed him to be, particularly to his rookie alternative. And he’ll be prepared once more if at any level they want him to play.
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If he does that, he appears satisfied that some crew will finally determine it desires a quarterback like him on its facet.
“I do know I am a winner,” he stated. “I do know my mentality of what that appears like. I do know having the championship mentality. Winners do not decide and select. Leaders do not decide and select once they need to lead and once they need to assist and talk like a winner. These are the issues that I do know, and I can management.
“I do know I’ll do it once more,” Wilson added. “So that is what I am enthusiastic about.”
Ralph Vacchiano is an NFL Reporter for FOX Sports activities. He spent six years overlaying the Giants and Jets for SNY TV in New York, and earlier than that, 16 years overlaying the Giants and the NFL for the New York Each day Information. Comply with him on Twitter at @RalphVacchiano.
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