Russell Wilson has officially found a new home. The 35-year-old announced on Sunday night that he is signing with the Steelers to begin a new chapter in his NFL career.
The Broncos released Wilson after two lackluster seasons in Denver during which the former Seahawks quarterback struggled to be the playmaker he was in Seattle. His failure to live up to expectations forced the Broncos to cut him and take on a dead cap hit of $85 million, good for the highest mark in NFL history.
Wilson still has talent and posted decent numbers last season, so there is hope he can bounce back with a change of scenery. Considering that — and that he came cheaper than most veteran quarterbacks — there's hope he can bounce back in Pittsburgh.
Here's what to know about Wilson's contract and how he fits with the Steelers.
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Russell Wilson contract details
Wilson signed a one-year, "team-friendly" contract with the Steelers that will put the Broncos on the hook for $38 million in 2024. Pittsburgh is only paying the former Super Bowl champion the veteran minimum if $1.21 million, per Albert Breer of The MMQB.
Year 13. Grateful. @Steelers pic.twitter.com/0U4Q2sRtXs
— Russell Wilson (@DangeRussWilson) March 11, 2024
Wilson has earned $266.4 million during his NFL career to date. That's good for the fourth-most in NFL history, so he can afford to take a major pay cut this season.
Wilson is a bargain at this price, but he will make significantly more than his new contract indicates, and that's all thanks to the Broncos.
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How much do the Broncos owe Russell Wilson?
The Broncos originally owed Russell Wilson $39 million for the 2024 NFL season after releasing him. His deal contains offset language, so Wilson's $1.21 million salary with the Steelers will be subtracted from the amount Denver owes him.
As a result, the Broncos will pay Wilson a hefty $37.79 million in 2024 while the Steelers will pay Wilson about $1.21 million. Overall, that amounts to a $39 million payday for Wilson this season.
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Russell Wilson stats
Wilson is coming off a 2023 season during which he posted solid numbers in his first season under Sean Payton. The 35-year-old quarterback completed 66.4 percent of his passes for 3,070 yards, 26 touchdowns, and eight interceptions while leading the Broncos to a 7-8 record.
Wilson was benched in favor of Jarrett Stidham over the final two games of the season, so he will hope to avoid that fate in Pittsburgh in 2024.
Below is a look at Wilson's career stats from his 10 seasons with the Seahawks and two with the Broncos.
| Year | Team | Record | Comp. % | Passing yards | Pass TDs | INTs | Rating |
| 2012 | Seahawks | 11-5 | 64.1 | 3,118 | 26 | 10 | 100.0 |
| 2013 | Seahawks | 13-3 | 63.1 | 3,357 | 26 | 9 | 101.2 |
| 2014 | Seahawks | 12-4 | 63.1 | 3,475 | 20 | 7 | 95.0 |
| 2015 | Seahawks | 10-6 | 68.1 | 4,024 | 34 | 8 | 110.1 |
| 2016 | Seahawks | 10-5-1 | 64.7 | 4,219 | 21 | 11 | 92.6 |
| 2017 | Seahawks | 9-7 | 61.3 | 3,983 | 34 | 11 | 95.4 |
| 2018 | Seahawks | 10-6 | 65.6 | 3,448 | 35 | 7 | 110.9 |
| 2019 | Seahawks | 11-5 | 66.1 | 4,110 | 31 | 5 | 106.3 |
| 2020 | Seahawks | 12-4 | 68.8 | 4,212 | 40 | 13 | 105.1 |
| 2021 | Seahawks | 6-8 | 64.8 | 3,113 | 25 | 6 | 103.1 |
| 2022 | Broncos | 4-11 | 60.5 | 3,524 | 16 | 11 | 84.4 |
| 2023 | Broncos | 7-8 | 66.4 | 3,070 | 26 | 8 | 98.0 |
Wilson has a career record of 115-72-1 with 43,653 yards, good for the 19th most all-time. He'll look to improve upon those marks as he continues into the twilight of his career.
Russell Wilson fantasy outlook 2024
Wilson will have talented receivers around him in Pittsburgh, but that was also true in Denver and he couldn't muster anything more than a QB16 season in fantasy points per game last year (QB14 if we take out Joe Flacco and Anthony Richardson). The good news is the pass protection in Pittsburgh should be much better than in Denver, as the Steelers allowed just 36 sacks last year (ninth fewest) compared to Denver's 52 (sixth most). How many of those sacks were Wilson's fault remains to be seen, but he's set up for success — assuming he's named the starter.
At this point, it's tough to count on Wilson for anything more than low-end QB1 numbers even if everything breaks right. He can still scramble (341 rushing yards last year), but the Steelers are a run-oriented offense. They had the fourth-fewest pass attempts last year, and that doesn't figure to change much with former Falcons coach Arthur Smith in charge of the offense, as Atlanta had the eighth fewest last season. Wilson will need significant touchdown "luck" to return to his once lofty status and be worth drafting as anything more than a mid-tier backup. — Matt Lutovsky
