This offseason, the New York Giants signed veteran free agent quarterback Russell Wilson to a one-year, incentive-laden contract. General manager Joe Schoen’s goal was to upgrade the quarterback unit, and what better place to start than with a former Super Bowl champion and 10-time Pro Bowler such as Wilson?
The Giants also added another veteran, Jameis Winston, before making a big splash in the 2025 NFL draft with Jaxson Dart. It seems they may have solved their quarterback issues for at least the short term, if not for the long term.
That’s what both the Denver Broncos and Pittsburgh Steelers thought when they each added Wilson to their rosters the past three seasons. We know all about Wilson’s 11-19 record in his two years as a “non-fit” in Denver, but his 6-5 record with a mediocre Steelers team was not seen as a failure.
Throughout it all, Wilson has maintained his positivity, a trait that lured the Giants in after several seasons of lackluster leadership at quarterback. However, as NBC Sports’ Chris Simms recently stated, Wilson’s perspective did not resonate with some of his previous teams
“I know this: his ability to lead and talk to the players, it falls on deaf ears,” Simms said on his podcast, via Steelers Depot. “You heard me say that at the end of the year last year…not only was I hearing it from people I trust in Pittsburgh, but you could watch TV and see it, where he’d be talking to guys on the sidelines and they’d literally be trying to look the opposite direction he was talking.”
The Giants have a younger team than the Steelers and a different approach within the coaching staff. The Giants will likely embrace Wilson’s enthusiasm as they are a team starved for any type of success.
If Wilson can win games, his positivity will be welcomed.