With a post on the social media app formerly known as Twitter, Seattle Seahawks Super Bowl Winning QB Russell Wilson officially announced his retirement Wednesday, with word coming out that he plans to join CBS’ NFL Today this fall.
Thank You, Football.
Love, #3 pic.twitter.com/hqlS7kWQpy
— Russell Wilson (@DangeRussWilson) June 3, 2026
And, as much as I probably shouldn’t be, I’m torn on his legacy and on whether he and his career will be enshrined in the Hall of Fame.
The upside? Ten Pro Bowls, though at least a couple of those just illustrate how that game has devolved. Did he really deserve to go in 2024 when he missed the first six games due to injury and he took Pittsburgh to a 6-5 record after replacing Justin Fields? He was fine, I guess, but his slump at the end of the season contributed to the Steelers’ early exit.
He was added on to the roster only after Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson withdrew.
Or in 2021, when he led Seattle to a 6-8 record in his starts, he missed three games, and he slumped at the end of the season after returning from a finger injury, again making it as a replacement, this time for Tom Brady.
He goes down as very likely the best quarterback Seattle has ever had. And he did win a Super Bowl, though he received massive help from the “Legion of Boom.”
And he should have won another one, but his last-second interception from the one-yard line goes down as one of the dumbest play calls in the big game’s history.
He also had a monster peak where he threw more than 30 TDs in five of six seasons, peaking at 40 in 2020. His 1.9 interception percentage is impressive and he ended up just short of 47,000 yards passing over his 14 years. He threw a tremendous deep ball and was a solid runner, adding 5,568 yards and 31 TDs on the ground to his impressive passing stats.
But he never received an MVP vote, nor did he ever get named first team Associated Press All Pro – giving him the very odd (10/0) profile count. He was named to the second team one time after the 2019 season. In fairness, he was named first team All Pro that season by the Pro Football Writers and Pro Football Focus. Still … one time on the AP honor rolls? That’s underwhelming.
I do wonder if my opinion of him is a bit unfair, if I’m putting too much credence into his having been seen as a bit of a jackwagon, a rehearsed, inauthentic teammate, that his “brand” was more important than his teammates. He was never in trouble. He was the Walter Payton Man of the Year in 2020. But Sean Payton couldn’t wait to get rid of Wilson during the 2024 season. But Payton has a lot of jackwagon tendencies too.
At least I’m not alone in feeling conflicted about his candidacy. Andrew Perloff at Athlon Sports says Wilson should be a first ballot Hall of Famer. That, to me, is laughable. First ballot status is overrated a bit, but it should be saved for the best of the best. Wilson’s career counting stats are impressive, but the lack of AP honors, MVP votes and … even teammates sticking up for him as critics tore apart his leadership skills tarnishes him enough as a candidate to keep him from that honor.
The USA Today argues his getting into the Hall at all isn’t even a “slam dunk.”
So, yeah, I’m not the only one left a little unsure. Ten Pro Bowls, as flimsy as that honor has gotten in this era, probably gives his candidacy a really strong chance. And that’s fine. I’m not going to argue against it – but I’m not going to get excited about it either.
But does he really stand out against all the other guys in this era who are in between very good and great, such as Matt Ryan, Philip Rivers or Matthew Stafford? Was he ever seen as the best in the league? Among the elite? It seems as if reading between the lines of the AP voting each year, that answer is no.
Loading ...
Not sure what is prospects are, but his resume will challenge voters in terms of how they have traditionally viewed QBs, would have said same for Stafford but his NFL MVP has really improved his case, with Wilson the debate will likely center around fact he was not top QB among his peers, really just one season where he could have been viewed the best..His case is also challenging as it is split between the early group of 2000s QBs like Rodgers but also the second group with Mahomes, Stafford etc…plus he was actually elected to 7 Pro Bowls (appointed replacement for 3), 7 is still good number but not as impressive as 10 would seem to appear
His case could have one huge advantage-timing…by time he appears as 1st ballot for class of 2031 (same year Rivers would again be eligible) it most likely that Brady, BenR, Eli would all be in Hall, leaving Wilson and Rivers to complete with Ryan… at least until Rodgers likely hits class 2032 ballot..but seems doubtful Wilson or Rivers are first ballot in 2031, and hard to see voters putting in Ryan before Rodgers..so all three stay on ballot for 2032 and beyond with real uncertainty.
People talk about his lack of accolades, but thats hard to achieve in an era with Brady, Rodgers, Big Ben, Ryan, Eli, even Peyton Manning, playing lights out. Cam Newton even won an MVP, not to mention Stafford. Hard to separate who is truly deserving of the HOF.
What hurts Wilson of course, is his years after getting hurt in 2021 with Seattle. He was much better his second season in Denver and deserved a second season in Pittsburgh but the coaches felt his skills–especially mobility–had diminished. Didnt matter though, the guy hardly ever turned the ball over but regressed as a pocket passer.
Unfortunately … HOF voters like the passing stats of a QB rather than any running numbers, though his mobility allowed him to have an excellent career passer rating. He started many consecutive games, with a high starting winning pct, with and without the Legion Of Boom.
His career reminds alot of Bob Griese, a mobile game manager and winner, though Wilson had much more passing statistics. Both QBs excelled with great defenses and running games but once both lost those, they werent the same player.
Wilson had to throw alot after Marshawn Lynch left the team and Seattle’s offensive line and running game got worse. Wilson could cook … but not beat out Rodgers and others for MVP.
I feel if Griese can be elected, so can Wilson, but will the voters remember his years from 2012-2020, or just his last five seasons?
Eli Manning went downhill as well but still got far in finalist voting.
I am not sure that Wilson will get voted in?
Historically (and even to some extent today) voters view that SB wins matter for QB..its why Griese is in the Hall-although its a fair debate that his resume is not very strong, and its clearly why – and I have made this point repeatedly since day he retired- that Eli made final 15 his first two years on ballot, which is path to eventual election. And both Griese and Eli have some weaker seasons on their resume as does Wilson
Wilson is a very interesting case, both his resume and how voters view QBs (and whether that evolves in coming elections), leaving his election future very uncertain