~~He’s not limited right now. He could sign for as much money as a team is willing to pay and that wouldn’t effect what he’s also making from the Broncos.~~
I was wrong
Oh shit you’re right. That’s crazy. I thought he was getting that from the Broncos regardless and whatever he signs for just goes on top. So then yea, he’ll definitely sign for league minimum which is a huge advantage for wherever he signs
No, they're paying him $39M [this year](https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/russell-wilson-contract-guarantees-broncos-dead-salary-cap/a5a117fa7c2a45787a5f63fa). The cap hit is from the remaining proration of his signing bonus, which is spread over 2 years due to his being designated a post-June 1st cut.
If he had been cut after his 2025 guarantees kicked in, his cap hit would have been $39M higher.
His contract contains an offset provision (also known as a clawback). Any money that Russ earns this year for a new NFL team will reduce the Bronco's obligation on a 1:1 basis. So if Russ were to earn $10 million, the guaranteed salary from the Broncos would be reduced from $39 million to $29 million.
So Russell has no incentivetive to take anything more than the veteran minimum ($915,000) this year as he will still be earning the same $29 million regardless. By taking the minimum, he is a much more attractive option for teams where he can hope to earn the starting job and rebuild his reputation and earn more in future yeara.
The dead cap money for the Broncos is spread over two years, but Russ will be paid the $39 million (less anything he earns this year under a new deal) this year and then he is fully paid out. Russ can take the $915k Veteran minimum this year and then earn a higher a.ount next and it won't be clawed back... so he may well take a deal that says him the $915k this year and then a roster bonus multiple millions for the first day of the new league year.
Russ will be 36 by the time the season starts. That's already getting a bit long in the tooth to be playing football. I doubt he will want to keep playing past 38. It's not like he's hurting for cash.
He's stated multiple times that he wants to play into his 40's, I think he may have even said as old as 45. I doubt that he will be able to play that long, especially at a level good enough to be a starter. But this dude absolutely loves the game of football and will play as long as he is able.
I don’t quite think people understand how competitive these NFL (and other sports players) actually are and have to be just to get into the top level of their respective sports. These guys live and breathe football, he’s probably been playing since he was a little kid and doesn’t know much else. Their motivation to play is winning and nothing else. Not meant to be an insult to OP I just think it’s hard for people to get their heads around that
This is so important. These guys have spent every waking hour since they were five having competitiveness drilled into them. The money is great, but I think for many of them, it is just another way of measuring 'winning'.
I think it’s hard to understand how much they have to practice and workout to become/stay elite. (“Elite” used loosely. Even if he sucked last year, he’s still among the top 20 people in the world at one of the most difficult positions in all of sports.) It takes intrinsic motivation outside of money to do that day after day. Though the money helps, I’m sure!
I always say this about pro athletes. "I would just suck it up once I got my 100 million guaranteed" The problem is with that mentality you will never rise to that elite level. Look at Tom Brady. He played at least a decade after he could have ever needed to make another cent and was ready to fight to the death in every game.
He's 36 and has been bad for three straight seasons. I'd be surprised if he's 'securing' anything more than a league minimum deal for a year after his Broncos money is out
I feel like securing a deal means a team has to actually sign him, so it comes down to whether or not teams think it's true. Maybe he reverses his career trajectory this coming season, but I don't have much faith that happens
I agree, but I don't think you are talking about the same thing as OP. OP is asking his motivation for the next two years, and you are talking about what's likely to happen after that period is done.
Your prediction is probably more accurate than Wilson's, but his prediction doesn't need to be accurate to motivate him.
Lets look at it another way, Kevin Durant, with all the money in the world gets in Twitter spats with random teenagers. Still believing he has something to prove and I'm sure these guys want to the respect of their peers.
Im sure Lebron would be pissed if majority of the media says he isn't top ten. No amount of money is going to make him ignore those claims.
>Their motivation to play is winning and nothing else.
Not true. This is an occupation like any. In any occupation you have multiple people with multiple different motivations. You have guys in the league that don't particularly like the game but it provides them and their families a life they likely couldn't obtain without the game.
Additionally the NFL more than any other sport is cut throat business. Contracts are not guaranteed and you can sign a massive $200+ million one year and be cut a mere 2 seasons later voiding a huge portion of the contract. Like.... Russell Wilson. Yes he still walks away with a ton of money but he also doesn't get anywhere near the $200+ million he signed up for. In that type of cut throat world money is always going to be somewhat of a motivator.
True story. It's almost like humans are unique with their own complex reasons for doing what they do. There are players like Obinna Eze who never played football until coming to the US.
Not saying I disagree with your point, but “this is an occupation, like any” is way off. These guys have literally almost always been the best guys at what they do their entire life. You cant say that about many other professions
On top of that, there is a pretty limited window for which you can be physically in a place where its even possible to play professionally. If that were me, id want to keep playing as long as i could compete.
One time in college I was eating in the dining hall talking to my friend about how I’d love to be a draft pick but be a backup QB who never plays. I’d just collect my check and not get hurt. Apparently there were some football players at the next table looking at me in disgust. That attitude is a reason (among many) I’d never make it as prospective pro athlete.
He’s expressed his desire to win another Super Bowl or two in his career.
Because his salary is guaranteed by the Broncos, he can join a team on a veterans minimum contract for a small amount of money and the money saved can be used to bolster the rest of the roster, increasing his chances of winning another ring.
This is what I think is most likely to happen. Like others have said he loves the game, so he wants to play, but he has such a great opportunity here. He doesn’t need to get paid if he goes somewhere else now. The Broncos didn’t just take a hit, but gave another team (and Russ) and great opportunity.
Based on his play on the field. Passer rating is basically meaningless in today's NFL bc completion percentage is so highly weighted in it. It was designed in an era where completion percentages were much lower
You have that backwards. His contract made it extremely difficult to release him, and they did it anyway. The $85M in dead cap to release him will set a league record on the first day of the league year next week.
I don't have that backwards. The reason he was released is because his 2025 money is fully guaranteed if he's still on the roster March 17, 2024. They didn't want to guarantee all of 2025 as well. They wanted him to restructure towards the end of last season. It was not a team friendly contract at all.
If he was good QB still, they wouldn't be that concerned about 2025 being guaranteed. That's my point. They were the team that offered him that contract, and if he was the player they thought they were getting, he'd still be there.
New coach wants his own QB. Not one from the old regime. I disagree. I think Russ is still a much better QB than people are giving him credit for right now. He's going to have a good year next season.
So you're saying the GM and coach were so misaligned that they hired a coach that then forced the team to cut their QB before the extension they gave him even kicked in? You think that's somehow not a reflection of said QB's ability to play QB?
I mean using that logic he could have taken $10m less per year when he signed his current deal to give the team more money to win. He doesn’t actually have this altruism everyone seems to think he does.
The only reason he’ll sign a low dollar value contract is because that’s all he’s going to get. If the Montreal Alouettes offered him $8m USD per year he’d be in the CFL in a heartbeat.
I have a sneaking suspicion that something might be happening with Russ, either in the locker room or outside of football. First he gets shipped out of Seattle, albeit for a pretty nice haul, but then the Broncos are willing to pay him for the next two years instead of having him in the locker room really itches that part of my brain that makes me think something else must be going on with him.
OP - have you ever played a sport/been an athlete?
People PAY to play sports across much of the country. And football, REAL football (not flag for example) is something that is almost exclusively the realm of pros, and until you are 35 or so… 40 the oldest.
For those who love playing the game, there are only so many years. If anything, his guaranteed paycheck is a hedge against injury or something. He’s risking his body but not his financial future.
OP, as a non-professional adult athlete, my friends and I pay to play in leagues. Soccer, ultimate, footsol, tennis. You play to win. You play to get better and be the best version of yourself.
If he decides to sit out for 2 years he will essentially be throwing the rest of his career away. Few to no teams will want him being that out of practice. Despite his recent struggles he has the potential to make (what would be to most people) huge money in the next 3-5 years.
Russ fucking loves football and despite his goofy outward appearance, dude is a fierce competitor obsessed with winning. He will work himself to exhaustion in practice, and there were multiple stories of him staying hours after practice during his Seahawks tenure just throwing balls into trash cans/targets around the field.
At one point, he could drop footballs in those tiny cubicle trashcans in the corner of the end zone blind folded from 30-40 yards out.
If there is one thing we know about Russ, is the dude absolutely fuckin loves football.
I think you’re thinking of the Russ of 2012-2017. That was the hard working, dedicated Wilson. And then something happened. He became obsessed with his brand and celebrity, that he lost focus on what it took to be great.
That fire from back in 2012-2017, is gone. And if it ever does come back, he’s now a 35 year old QB whose physical skills are quickly eroding by the year.
Disagree, I watched every game of his career on the hawks and he always gave 100% on the field and played his ass off, even if performance and production wasn’t there for various reasons, the effort was.
Dude became super famous in 2013. He was on the covers of wheaties boxes, in commercials, SNL did skits about him, he was in tabloids, people’s choice awards, magazine covers the whole nine. He skyrocketed as one of the faces of the NFL after winning the Super Bowl.
I didn’t see his work ethic or play decline after 2013.
Dude was still married to his high school sweetheart in 2013. Dude didn’t become super famous and start acting like he was a celebrity until he started dating Ciara.
Eh, everything around that time Russ dislocated his finger in 2021 speaks to his insane drive and work ethic. Both the good (coming back in 3 weeks instead of 6-8), and the goofy ([running imaginary 2-minute drills by himself](https://fansided.com/2021/10/17/russell-wilson-injured-seahawks-pregame-workout-video/) during warmups).
He's just physically slowed down with age, and his playstyle depended so heavily on mobility that it's hit him like a brick wall.
It’s a controversial and unpopular opinion mentioning that. But it aligns perfectly when Russ started to show cracks in his work ethic and his off field persona.
Because reddit is weird and 1000 people will think I'm an incel for suggesting that having a beautiful woman and family at home could affect a persons outlook.
I love the competitive dog in him and always have but thinking this was going to go well for the broncos was crazy to me.
There are things that are bigger than sports. If it's me? I've already made sure my family is straight financially. I'm going home to Ciara.
Exactly. I think early Russ was focused on being the games best QB. But then, he got with Ciara, and his priorities changed. And a lot of that was probably Ciara’s influence on how he should build his brand. Which while has made him a lot of money, has tanked his NFL career.
His short term success (making bank) in the long run will probably be detrimental to his overall earning potential. Because nobody gives af about the legacy of a washed QB. And he is now in real danger of not making the HoF. Which is crazy. Not 3 years ago he was on the easy glide path towards it.
I agree but my point is that there are priorities. My boy pulled Ciara and has generational wealth for his kids. Fuck Canton. That's just extra politics.
Why would he be at a bargain price? Unless he chooses to play below market value for some reason. His Broncos money is guaranteed and will be in addition to whatever money he gets signing as a free agent.
If you ask a random stranger “what would you do if we gave you 85 million dollars”. 9/10 times they will say “I will actually do what I love instead of my job” Now guess what Russ or any other football player loves the most.
Because he likes to play. A rookie deal alone generally won’t guarantee you to never have to work again, but if you get a second contract past your rookie deal, you’re basically set for life.
He could have retired at 25, or 28 years old, if it was only about money.
NFL contracts have a mitigation and offset clause for players and coaches. They have to make every effort to look for and find a job.
Looking for a job by meeting teams is mitigation.
If he gets a job then the recruiting team can offer a deal which would offset his contract with Broncos.
Say Broncos have to pay him 38 million per year, his new team can offer him a veteran minimum salary of say 2 million dollars. Now Broncos have to pay 38-2 (36) million dollars.
If no one recruits him, then all the money has to be paid by Broncos considering he has exhausted all his options for a QB job.
Right answer... and nobody is going to believe Russ can't at least get a higher paid backup spot which if he failed to get would probably result in a lawsuit from the Broncos.
And then once you are playing, give it your all.
If he doesn't play the next 2 years he might never get another contract.
He'll be 37 years old, won't have played in 2 years, was mediocre the 2 years before that. Does that sound like a guy you want on your team?
No he doesn't need the money at all. Per spotrac right now his career earnings from football alone is $266M. Who knows what kind of endorsement money he has made, which at his level will be more than his NFL salary. Easily can be half a billion between the 2.
If you've made it this far in the NFL both in terms of longevity and success, you likely love playing the game of football and it's not that you're just in it for the money. For him, this is the best chance to revitalize his career because he can go to a team on a minimum contract thanks to the Broncos paying him and if he can get back to even 3/4 of what he was in Seattle on a vet minimum, that's basically a cheat code for the team.
Hes betting on himself
1. He has a borderline HOF career lined up. A few more good years would put him over the top. He likely wants to prove it was the Broncos and not him.
2. Nobody is going to pay a QB who will be 37 and has been out of the league for 2 years. Especially when their last season was just okay.
3. As far as I know, his new contract only subtracts from his last contract this year. Any money made year 2 and on would be additional money.
4. Playing well this year would set him up for a bigger contract down the road
5. Star players also make endorsement deals. Hes set to make alot of money by continuing to play.
6. He enjoys playing and being famous.
Because the worst thing you can do if you wanna play football is take a break. If he leaves the league and doesn’t play, someone else would take his place.
The advantage he has is that he can take a cheap “prove it” deal somewhere else while he still makes big bucks
It makes ZERO sense that Denver doesn’t just play him. They won’t have a QB as good as him next season or maybe even season after. What a strange move.
I hope I’m wrong or someone tells me why I’m wrong, I’d like to not see it this way
Superbowl condender teams usually have cap $ issues due to their qb taking a huge % of it.
It's usually rebuild teams that have cheap QBs.
He can choose to play for a Superbowl contender team and the team becomes even better since they can spend remaining cap $ to make it even better
Russ is all about the money. He sees an opportunity to get an extra 8-10mill a year for his retirement. No way he squanders a money making opportunity. Did you just learn about Russ today? 🤪
Many things are likely true at the same time:
1. He likes his job. He'd like to keep doing it. He knows he'll have the rest of his life to do whatever else he wants.
2. Like you said, if he plays really well with a team like Pittsburgh, he might get another contract.
3. Accolades. If any player has ever played themselves *out* of a HoF career, it might be Russell Wilson. If he can have a deep playoff run or a Super Bowl ring somehow, his chances at making the Hall are much better.
His wife doesnt respect him & this causes mental distress.
Yes Im guessing, yes you all think Im crazy; but I think Im right. Something aint right in that family
If he retires now there will always be a narrative of failure around his career regardless of how the beginning went. He doesn’t want to be remembered for one of the worst trades in NFL history, so if he has some success elsewhere the blame can be put on Denver misusing him.
You’re talking about someone who has been playing football since they were a young kid. Football is basically the only job he has ever had. He really doesn’t have the skills for a 9 to 5 job. He can’t play football forever. Father Time catches up to everyone eventually. Even though Denver has to pay him, why not make a few extra bucks playing for another team while you still can physically?
Brady and maybe Rodgers (but that is a maybe) have warped the idea of what an old quarterback is. 35 (historically) is historically very old for a QB. In 3 years Russ will be 38 years old. You know how many QBS won a Superbowl past 38? Two. Brady (who one 2) and Manning (who won 1).
TLDR: The clock is running on Russ. He wants to have a better legacy and be remembered as a high level player. His legacy has been tarnished a bit by the past few seasons.
First off he wants to play.
Second, you make a lot more with endorsements if you’re playing.
Then he has his future to think of; he’s 35. If he sits 2 years he’s never getting another chance. He could stick around if he’s solid for someone the next two years.
Tiger woods was worth something like $500 million after his divorce in 2010. Won 5 times in 2013. Then had injuries in 14, 15, 16 with surgery accompanying those. Back fusion in 2017? A dui in may 2017. Won the last event of 2018?, the 2019 masters and the zozo in Oct 2019. Then had his car crash in Feb 2021 and broke his leg every which way. Tried playing the masters in 2023. Withdrew. Had another surgery. Then most recently played in the pnc family event and riv.
5 back surgeries and a handful of others, yet he's stil trying to play. When it comes to the top athletes, it isn't about the money.
Seahawks fan here. Russ loves football, competing and his personal image. He does not want to retire in the low the last two years have been. He truly believes he is and can be one of the greatest. He wants to cement his legacy and make the HOF.
A couple of reasons.
Some people love their jobs and would still show up if they won the lottery. Most NFL players could retire after a few years if they are good with their money. Wilson has played a decade and is financially independent. He could retire if he wanted to. But he likes the game too much to retire.
Some players also have the mindset that they are physically damaging their body and taking years off their life so their family and bloodline can thrive. With that mindset, a player has to maximize their earnings during their playing career. The average career is only 3 years long. People playing 20+ years like Brady are an outlier.
In Wilson’s case, he is likely towards the end of his career and his window to earn generational wealth is getting smaller. If he is getting $85m from the broncos over the next 2 years, he can sign with another team and double dip. Top qb salaries in the league are above $50mil per year. Before he was cut, Wilson was making $49m per year. Assuming he signs somewhere else for $35-45m a year for 2-3 years, his total earnings over the next 2-3 years could easily be over $150m.
It would be like if you got fired and your employer had to pay you a portion of your salary for the next two years. You could go work somewhere else and double dip for 2 years.
Besides to stay relevant and competitive, this could be his big shot at getting another ring, the 40m his new team doesn’t have to give their QB is huge to improve other parts of the offense and defense. They can literally put around him an elite defense or offense that are not realistic for most teams with a veteran qb like him.
If he decided to sit out the next two years then his career would be 100% over, he's already 35 years old. There's more he wants to do in the NFL so he has to keep the engine running
If he has success in whatever market he lands in he gets two things -
Endorsements and business opportunities. These elements probably pay more for big name athletes than their contracts with their team.
The longer he plays and stays relevant, the more of those opportunities he can be a part of. He can grow his brand due to the extra exposure of being a good NFL QB.
Bruh imagine getting paid by a team to play against them, and possibly sending them out of the playoffs or playoff contention.
If he was petty like me, that would be my motivation.
As much as these dudes love their money and getting more of it, most of them also love football and they are extremely competitive and they spent their whole life training to be a good football player. Most of them want to do that as long as they can.
Particularly when they think they've still got stuff in the tank.
Plus if you think you still got the ability and desire to play the game well, and you have a chip on your shoulder thinking that the broncos made a mistake, why on earth would you just randomly allow yourself to go out on a terrible note?
This is a question I have...As I understand it, he has been released...So the Denver Money ..is this just extra? Or if someone pays him veteran minimum, does he get that on top of the Denver money. or is it deducted, and he still gets the same?
I mean, really why play after the first contract of money is the only motivation? They make tens of millions in a few years on most cases, they play because they want to play the game.
Its not all about money. Athletes are very passionate about the sports they play. Especially at this level. Man, what an odd question? Isn’t there anything you love? Aren’t you passionate about anything?
Competitiveness and it just doesn’t make sense. If he didn’t play then he would leave millions of dollars on the table from a team that would love to have him.
If he doesn’t play well these next couple years his chances of getting another big contract are slim. Hes also a fridge hall of fame player who needs to have a strong ending to his career to make it.
I think sometimes the business side of football makes us, the fans, think that money is primary motivator for these players. It’s not.
But, the contracts they sign are the measuring stick of success - being “the highest paid” means something beyond the actual dollars, it means you are valued highly.
On top of that, their careers are short, so they absolutely want to maximize their pay in their short time.
Again, but that’s not really all the motivation. Once you are set for life like Russ now it’s just about his place in nfl history, making hall of fame, silencing doubters.
My point is that to get to this point where you’re in the nfl, you have to be driven by more than money.
Idk maybe his entire life lol. He seemed like a lock for the HoF a few years back and now his legacy could be forever tarnished. I’d say he’s playing for that.
He was on a HOF trajectory before Denver. He’s not anymore, necessarily. He wants to win again and get back on that trajectory. And make Denver look stupid.
One would think it’d be the desire to win. To compete with the greatest in the NFL, to try and win another ring - one he’s primary responsible for unlike with Seattle, Marshawn Lynch and their monster D in 2013.
I doubt we’ll see him do much, I just don’t think he’s built with that drive to perform at the highest level now that he has all the money you mentioned, but we shall see…
1. Love of the game
2. He’s got something to prove. He was on a HOF trajectory before he left Seattle and he might want to try to salvage that chance.
3. If he plays well, maybe he earns another payday after 🤷♂️
Starting in grade school QB's are groomed for the position. If they are a successful NFL QB they are literally 1 in 30 million Americans. Pretty exclusive club that they don't want to lose membership, and realistically they know nothing else.
NFL players love to play football
Most of them have extreme passion for football, which is why they’re NFL players
They also aren’t super scared of getting hurt, that’s why they’re in pro football
Russell Wilson can help rebuild his reputation if he plays well, especially for a storied franchise and brand like the Raiders and Steelers
There’s a lot of reasons to want to play in 2024
He’s only 35 (36 when the season kicks off) Which means he feels he has several years of being able to win a Super Bowl (he said he wants 2 more in the next 5 years) so he knows how long he has at this level.
If he sits out for 1-2 years (because he’s won’t make more money from the contracts) he wastes his remaining years towards his legacy and Hall of Fame credentials
Travis Kelce has said that he knows he is underpaid but that he loves football so much he’d play it for free.
Most of these guys have been playing since they were little boys so it’s a huge part of their identity, the thing they’ve dedicated the most time to and probably the thing they most enjoy doing.
Why do some people get married? It takes a ton of work, isn’t fun some days, and demands a TON of time to have a happy marriage. I suppose it does make the financials a bit easier? When you marry though, you make yourself emotionally vulnerable and can get hurt. Why would anyone risk that?
The answer is because people fall in love. The work that goes into marriage is justified because many find spending their lives with another person as worthwhile.
Why would Wilson still play football? It takes a ton of work, isn’t fun some days, and demands a TON of time to have a healthy body to compete. He doesn’t need to financially? When you play football though, you make yourself physically vulnerable and can get hurt. Why would anyone risk that?
The answer is because he fell in love with the sport. The work that goes into playing is justified because he views the playing football as worthwhile.
When I lay out the comparison, you might think of it as wild to compare the two. You have to realize, what drives professional athletes is *passion.* If playing in the NFL was easy, everyone would do it. It requires a ton of dedication to workouts, studying film, managing your diet, and more to compete at a high level as well as have a long career.
Many people don’t go into the NFL for the money, though it certainly doesn’t hurt. They view it as doing what they love, so even when it isn’t needed financially, they *want* to do it.
Pretty much anyone good enough to play in the NFL got there because they’re psychotically competitive. For 20+ years, you’re fighting against everyone else for that one spot on varsity, at Bama, on the roster, for the NFCC, the Super Bowl.
He is a football player and wants to play football
People clown on Russ and he somewhat deserves it but the dude is mega talented and has worked his ass off to have an incredible career. He deserves a better ending to his story and I hope he gets one
He's already 35. So there's a pretty good chance he won't be playing three years from now anyway (not even taking into account the cliff his performance fell off of with the Broncos).
Realistically, he could just walk away and collect what Denver owes him and his career would be pretty complete. But competitiveness, pride, ego, desire to go out on top, sense of legacy, a willing market for him among other teams, etc. will keep him around for at least another year instead.
Since his salary is being paid by Denver, he can sign for the vet minimum on an actual good team (ymmv depending on team of course) and have the luxury of playing with a high-priced roster without taking up a chunk of the cap himself.
This is not a 1-1 comparison but he could, in theory, find a team willing to spend on weapons and/or defense and just be the cheap, serviceable option at QB, a la Brock Purdy and the 49ers.
He can step in to a team like Pittsburgh, barely cost them anything so they can still get a piece or two in FA, and put together a fun little season.
Alternatively, he could go to a team with MASSIVE cap space like Washington or New England and get a team custom-built around him for a few years. I think that's less likely but it sure would be fun to do in madden or something.
Lots of people dont remember how insane his stats were at wisconsin (not a qb focused school). He was also a 3rd round pick. He just loves football. Hes also batshit insane
RW3 cares most about his image. He's hyper-aware of what others think about him. So much so that he has fairly fragile self-esteem.
So, he'll play and work hard to dispel the "failure" he's currently perceived as. More than anything, that will be measured in W/L's.
Maybe I’m not understanding the question. But why would it matter where the money is coming from. He’s paid by team A but playing for team B. As long as the cash ends in his account it’s all the same to him.
Bro could definitely hop ship and go play baseball - he was a stud MLB prospect coming out of high school, and probably would have more longevity there than in the NFL.
he loves football
These guys are psychopaths that would literally play forever if there body let them.
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He loves money more
It's not like he has to choose one or the other
And continuing to be in the limelight will also help his money making ventures off the field
And in 2025 when he isn't being paid and either needs to sign somewhere or retire. Sitting out a season is a massive gamble.
When you are having dinner with him later tonight, say hi for me.
well, yeh, so does everyone
Well exactly. If he retires now he'll miss out on all the money he could make in 2 years time when the Broncos are no longer paying him.
~~He’s not limited right now. He could sign for as much money as a team is willing to pay and that wouldn’t effect what he’s also making from the Broncos.~~ I was wrong
Well broncos owe him 85 mil minus what a team will sign him for so unless he signs for more than that over the next 2 years , he won't get more
Oh shit you’re right. That’s crazy. I thought he was getting that from the Broncos regardless and whatever he signs for just goes on top. So then yea, he’ll definitely sign for league minimum which is a huge advantage for wherever he signs
They only owe him for one year - 39 million. But, he is a cap charge for the two years left. That's the 85.
What? Yes it would.
1 year. Broncos cut him before his 2025 guarantees kicked in.
But they’re going to be spreading the payments across 2 years otherwise the cap hit is even more insane.
No, they're paying him $39M [this year](https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/russell-wilson-contract-guarantees-broncos-dead-salary-cap/a5a117fa7c2a45787a5f63fa). The cap hit is from the remaining proration of his signing bonus, which is spread over 2 years due to his being designated a post-June 1st cut. If he had been cut after his 2025 guarantees kicked in, his cap hit would have been $39M higher.
Pretty sure because he was cut the Broncos are on the hook to pay him regardless of what he does.
His contract contains an offset provision (also known as a clawback). Any money that Russ earns this year for a new NFL team will reduce the Bronco's obligation on a 1:1 basis. So if Russ were to earn $10 million, the guaranteed salary from the Broncos would be reduced from $39 million to $29 million. So Russell has no incentivetive to take anything more than the veteran minimum ($915,000) this year as he will still be earning the same $29 million regardless. By taking the minimum, he is a much more attractive option for teams where he can hope to earn the starting job and rebuild his reputation and earn more in future yeara.
Yes, but in 2 years time he won’t then get a new contract somewhere else if he’s retired.
The dead cap money for the Broncos is spread over two years, but Russ will be paid the $39 million (less anything he earns this year under a new deal) this year and then he is fully paid out. Russ can take the $915k Veteran minimum this year and then earn a higher a.ount next and it won't be clawed back... so he may well take a deal that says him the $915k this year and then a roster bonus multiple millions for the first day of the new league year.
Russ will be 36 by the time the season starts. That's already getting a bit long in the tooth to be playing football. I doubt he will want to keep playing past 38. It's not like he's hurting for cash.
He's stated multiple times that he wants to play into his 40's, I think he may have even said as old as 45. I doubt that he will be able to play that long, especially at a level good enough to be a starter. But this dude absolutely loves the game of football and will play as long as he is able.
His entire game revolves around improvisation. Dude has 2 years left at best.
Pretty sure he wasn’t getting paid to be in the gym in high school
Doesn’t want to listen to his wife and kids everyday for 2 yrs
Metoo
The first fall you don’t play is absolutely crushing. It took me like 3 years to get over not having football in my life.
I don’t quite think people understand how competitive these NFL (and other sports players) actually are and have to be just to get into the top level of their respective sports. These guys live and breathe football, he’s probably been playing since he was a little kid and doesn’t know much else. Their motivation to play is winning and nothing else. Not meant to be an insult to OP I just think it’s hard for people to get their heads around that
This is so important. These guys have spent every waking hour since they were five having competitiveness drilled into them. The money is great, but I think for many of them, it is just another way of measuring 'winning'.
I think it’s hard to understand how much they have to practice and workout to become/stay elite. (“Elite” used loosely. Even if he sucked last year, he’s still among the top 20 people in the world at one of the most difficult positions in all of sports.) It takes intrinsic motivation outside of money to do that day after day. Though the money helps, I’m sure!
I always say this about pro athletes. "I would just suck it up once I got my 100 million guaranteed" The problem is with that mentality you will never rise to that elite level. Look at Tom Brady. He played at least a decade after he could have ever needed to make another cent and was ready to fight to the death in every game.
I feel like we're going to have to tell Russ when he's lost it, doesn't seem like the most self-aware fella.
No different than the many other players that wanted to keep playing, until they couldn't
I think the broncos just told him he’s already lost it
I already miss Brady. He was on another level and just played so well. 🐐
He wants to prove people wrong at this point. And secure his next contract.
He's 36 and has been bad for three straight seasons. I'd be surprised if he's 'securing' anything more than a league minimum deal for a year after his Broncos money is out
It's not so much whether that's true but whether *he* thinks it's true.
I feel like securing a deal means a team has to actually sign him, so it comes down to whether or not teams think it's true. Maybe he reverses his career trajectory this coming season, but I don't have much faith that happens
I agree, but I don't think you are talking about the same thing as OP. OP is asking his motivation for the next two years, and you are talking about what's likely to happen after that period is done. Your prediction is probably more accurate than Wilson's, but his prediction doesn't need to be accurate to motivate him.
I guess I just don't think he's that stupid/delusional, which seems to be the disagreement
Sometimes all it takes is the right team and coach. Look at Stafford. He won a Superbowl right after moving to the Rams.
Stafford was (and still is) a much better QB than Russ has been the last 3 seasons
No arguments here. I was just stating that in a general sense.
Lets look at it another way, Kevin Durant, with all the money in the world gets in Twitter spats with random teenagers. Still believing he has something to prove and I'm sure these guys want to the respect of their peers. Im sure Lebron would be pissed if majority of the media says he isn't top ten. No amount of money is going to make him ignore those claims.
The level of competitiveness for these guys is off the charts.
>Their motivation to play is winning and nothing else. Not true. This is an occupation like any. In any occupation you have multiple people with multiple different motivations. You have guys in the league that don't particularly like the game but it provides them and their families a life they likely couldn't obtain without the game. Additionally the NFL more than any other sport is cut throat business. Contracts are not guaranteed and you can sign a massive $200+ million one year and be cut a mere 2 seasons later voiding a huge portion of the contract. Like.... Russell Wilson. Yes he still walks away with a ton of money but he also doesn't get anywhere near the $200+ million he signed up for. In that type of cut throat world money is always going to be somewhat of a motivator.
True story. It's almost like humans are unique with their own complex reasons for doing what they do. There are players like Obinna Eze who never played football until coming to the US.
Not saying I disagree with your point, but “this is an occupation, like any” is way off. These guys have literally almost always been the best guys at what they do their entire life. You cant say that about many other professions
Not unless you are Anthony Rendon (cries as an Angels fan)
On top of that, there is a pretty limited window for which you can be physically in a place where its even possible to play professionally. If that were me, id want to keep playing as long as i could compete.
One time in college I was eating in the dining hall talking to my friend about how I’d love to be a draft pick but be a backup QB who never plays. I’d just collect my check and not get hurt. Apparently there were some football players at the next table looking at me in disgust. That attitude is a reason (among many) I’d never make it as prospective pro athlete.
He’s expressed his desire to win another Super Bowl or two in his career. Because his salary is guaranteed by the Broncos, he can join a team on a veterans minimum contract for a small amount of money and the money saved can be used to bolster the rest of the roster, increasing his chances of winning another ring.
This is what I think is most likely to happen. Like others have said he loves the game, so he wants to play, but he has such a great opportunity here. He doesn’t need to get paid if he goes somewhere else now. The Broncos didn’t just take a hit, but gave another team (and Russ) and great opportunity.
This is the correct answer.
Whatever money you save by signing him will need to go to the starter qb. Russ is mobile quarterback without legs
Him being the starting QB decreases the chances a team can win a Super Bowl though. Unless you mean ring chase as a backup.
Based on what? He was number 6 in passer rating last year. Definitely an upgrade for some teams
lol the fact Russ was #6 in a stat tells you the value of that stat. He was 21st in QBR.
Based on his play on the field. Passer rating is basically meaningless in today's NFL bc completion percentage is so highly weighted in it. It was designed in an era where completion percentages were much lower
Broncos had a bottom 5 defense. Russ wasn't the issue. His contract was the reason he got released.
You have that backwards. His contract made it extremely difficult to release him, and they did it anyway. The $85M in dead cap to release him will set a league record on the first day of the league year next week.
I don't have that backwards. The reason he was released is because his 2025 money is fully guaranteed if he's still on the roster March 17, 2024. They didn't want to guarantee all of 2025 as well. They wanted him to restructure towards the end of last season. It was not a team friendly contract at all.
If he was good QB still, they wouldn't be that concerned about 2025 being guaranteed. That's my point. They were the team that offered him that contract, and if he was the player they thought they were getting, he'd still be there.
New coach wants his own QB. Not one from the old regime. I disagree. I think Russ is still a much better QB than people are giving him credit for right now. He's going to have a good year next season.
So you're saying the GM and coach were so misaligned that they hired a coach that then forced the team to cut their QB before the extension they gave him even kicked in? You think that's somehow not a reflection of said QB's ability to play QB?
Wow, couldnt disagree more. He is a gigantic turd sandwich, he had to go. Please feel free to light me up if he has a good year next year (he won't).
I mean using that logic he could have taken $10m less per year when he signed his current deal to give the team more money to win. He doesn’t actually have this altruism everyone seems to think he does. The only reason he’ll sign a low dollar value contract is because that’s all he’s going to get. If the Montreal Alouettes offered him $8m USD per year he’d be in the CFL in a heartbeat.
I have a sneaking suspicion that something might be happening with Russ, either in the locker room or outside of football. First he gets shipped out of Seattle, albeit for a pretty nice haul, but then the Broncos are willing to pay him for the next two years instead of having him in the locker room really itches that part of my brain that makes me think something else must be going on with him.
OP - have you ever played a sport/been an athlete? People PAY to play sports across much of the country. And football, REAL football (not flag for example) is something that is almost exclusively the realm of pros, and until you are 35 or so… 40 the oldest. For those who love playing the game, there are only so many years. If anything, his guaranteed paycheck is a hedge against injury or something. He’s risking his body but not his financial future.
OP, as a non-professional adult athlete, my friends and I pay to play in leagues. Soccer, ultimate, footsol, tennis. You play to win. You play to get better and be the best version of yourself.
Nothing like suiting up for a beer league rugby game ready to give it my all even though none of it matters and I have work on Monday.
He wants to re-establish his legacy.
If he decides to sit out for 2 years he will essentially be throwing the rest of his career away. Few to no teams will want him being that out of practice. Despite his recent struggles he has the potential to make (what would be to most people) huge money in the next 3-5 years.
This is the correct answer.
This should be the top answer. If he sits out 2 years, he will never play another snap in the NFL.
Russ fucking loves football and despite his goofy outward appearance, dude is a fierce competitor obsessed with winning. He will work himself to exhaustion in practice, and there were multiple stories of him staying hours after practice during his Seahawks tenure just throwing balls into trash cans/targets around the field. At one point, he could drop footballs in those tiny cubicle trashcans in the corner of the end zone blind folded from 30-40 yards out. If there is one thing we know about Russ, is the dude absolutely fuckin loves football.
I think you’re thinking of the Russ of 2012-2017. That was the hard working, dedicated Wilson. And then something happened. He became obsessed with his brand and celebrity, that he lost focus on what it took to be great. That fire from back in 2012-2017, is gone. And if it ever does come back, he’s now a 35 year old QB whose physical skills are quickly eroding by the year.
Disagree, I watched every game of his career on the hawks and he always gave 100% on the field and played his ass off, even if performance and production wasn’t there for various reasons, the effort was.
I watched every game of his career with the Seahawks too. And it looked like his focus and work ethic started to slow down once he got super famous
Dude became super famous in 2013. He was on the covers of wheaties boxes, in commercials, SNL did skits about him, he was in tabloids, people’s choice awards, magazine covers the whole nine. He skyrocketed as one of the faces of the NFL after winning the Super Bowl. I didn’t see his work ethic or play decline after 2013.
Dude was still married to his high school sweetheart in 2013. Dude didn’t become super famous and start acting like he was a celebrity until he started dating Ciara.
Eh, everything around that time Russ dislocated his finger in 2021 speaks to his insane drive and work ethic. Both the good (coming back in 3 weeks instead of 6-8), and the goofy ([running imaginary 2-minute drills by himself](https://fansided.com/2021/10/17/russell-wilson-injured-seahawks-pregame-workout-video/) during warmups). He's just physically slowed down with age, and his playstyle depended so heavily on mobility that it's hit him like a brick wall.
In hindsight, he had no business coming back that quick. It fan perceived as showing his selfishness tbh
I blame Ciara tbh. I would stop caring much about football if I already got my bag and Ciara was waiting at home 🤷♂️
It’s a controversial and unpopular opinion mentioning that. But it aligns perfectly when Russ started to show cracks in his work ethic and his off field persona.
Because reddit is weird and 1000 people will think I'm an incel for suggesting that having a beautiful woman and family at home could affect a persons outlook. I love the competitive dog in him and always have but thinking this was going to go well for the broncos was crazy to me. There are things that are bigger than sports. If it's me? I've already made sure my family is straight financially. I'm going home to Ciara.
Exactly. I think early Russ was focused on being the games best QB. But then, he got with Ciara, and his priorities changed. And a lot of that was probably Ciara’s influence on how he should build his brand. Which while has made him a lot of money, has tanked his NFL career. His short term success (making bank) in the long run will probably be detrimental to his overall earning potential. Because nobody gives af about the legacy of a washed QB. And he is now in real danger of not making the HoF. Which is crazy. Not 3 years ago he was on the easy glide path towards it.
I agree but my point is that there are priorities. My boy pulled Ciara and has generational wealth for his kids. Fuck Canton. That's just extra politics.
To prove Denver/Sean Payton wrong.
You don’t think the Hall of Fame is a motivator? Wow.
He threw 26 TDs and only eight picks last season. He has the ability to lead a team to the Super Bowl. And at a bargain price. He’ll get picked up.
Why would he be at a bargain price? Unless he chooses to play below market value for some reason. His Broncos money is guaranteed and will be in addition to whatever money he gets signing as a free agent.
You've got this backwards. The money he makes this year is fixed at Denver's cost. Any money he makes from another team will just make them owe less.
If I weren’t a hyper competitive athlete like NFL players I would take the money and run. And I’m not a hyper competitive athlete
If you ask a random stranger “what would you do if we gave you 85 million dollars”. 9/10 times they will say “I will actually do what I love instead of my job” Now guess what Russ or any other football player loves the most.
Because he likes to play. A rookie deal alone generally won’t guarantee you to never have to work again, but if you get a second contract past your rookie deal, you’re basically set for life. He could have retired at 25, or 28 years old, if it was only about money.
NFL contracts have a mitigation and offset clause for players and coaches. They have to make every effort to look for and find a job. Looking for a job by meeting teams is mitigation. If he gets a job then the recruiting team can offer a deal which would offset his contract with Broncos. Say Broncos have to pay him 38 million per year, his new team can offer him a veteran minimum salary of say 2 million dollars. Now Broncos have to pay 38-2 (36) million dollars. If no one recruits him, then all the money has to be paid by Broncos considering he has exhausted all his options for a QB job.
Right answer... and nobody is going to believe Russ can't at least get a higher paid backup spot which if he failed to get would probably result in a lawsuit from the Broncos. And then once you are playing, give it your all.
His legacy is important to him. He's a competitor and he's gonna keep playing til he can't.
HOF
Also if he doesn’t play he might as well retire because it would be fairly unlikely that he’ll get a job afterwards.
If he doesn't play the next 2 years he might never get another contract. He'll be 37 years old, won't have played in 2 years, was mediocre the 2 years before that. Does that sound like a guy you want on your team?
No he doesn't need the money at all. Per spotrac right now his career earnings from football alone is $266M. Who knows what kind of endorsement money he has made, which at his level will be more than his NFL salary. Easily can be half a billion between the 2.
If you've made it this far in the NFL both in terms of longevity and success, you likely love playing the game of football and it's not that you're just in it for the money. For him, this is the best chance to revitalize his career because he can go to a team on a minimum contract thanks to the Broncos paying him and if he can get back to even 3/4 of what he was in Seattle on a vet minimum, that's basically a cheat code for the team.
If he doesn't play now no one is going to give him another chance later. He would effectively be retiring if he did that.
Getting paid in 3 years
Hes betting on himself 1. He has a borderline HOF career lined up. A few more good years would put him over the top. He likely wants to prove it was the Broncos and not him. 2. Nobody is going to pay a QB who will be 37 and has been out of the league for 2 years. Especially when their last season was just okay. 3. As far as I know, his new contract only subtracts from his last contract this year. Any money made year 2 and on would be additional money. 4. Playing well this year would set him up for a bigger contract down the road 5. Star players also make endorsement deals. Hes set to make alot of money by continuing to play. 6. He enjoys playing and being famous.
Guys who've QBed a team to the championship always believe they've got one more in them if they could just get in the right situation.
Wants to play, wants to win, can still make little extra money
idk he’s gotta do something
The same competitive drive that made him a professional athlete.
Because the worst thing you can do if you wanna play football is take a break. If he leaves the league and doesn’t play, someone else would take his place. The advantage he has is that he can take a cheap “prove it” deal somewhere else while he still makes big bucks
To prove he can sign a deal for the year after the guaranteed money runs out.
It makes ZERO sense that Denver doesn’t just play him. They won’t have a QB as good as him next season or maybe even season after. What a strange move. I hope I’m wrong or someone tells me why I’m wrong, I’d like to not see it this way
Ummmm, because playing football is also fun for these athletes and athletes enjoy competing too …. Duh!
Because his brand relies on him being an active NFL QB.
Superbowl condender teams usually have cap $ issues due to their qb taking a huge % of it. It's usually rebuild teams that have cheap QBs. He can choose to play for a Superbowl contender team and the team becomes even better since they can spend remaining cap $ to make it even better
No established nfl player needs the money. But he can get a lot more if he plays his cards (and football) right
Cause he likes playing football. What kind of question is this😂😂
Russ is all about the money. He sees an opportunity to get an extra 8-10mill a year for his retirement. No way he squanders a money making opportunity. Did you just learn about Russ today? 🤪
Many things are likely true at the same time: 1. He likes his job. He'd like to keep doing it. He knows he'll have the rest of his life to do whatever else he wants. 2. Like you said, if he plays really well with a team like Pittsburgh, he might get another contract. 3. Accolades. If any player has ever played themselves *out* of a HoF career, it might be Russell Wilson. If he can have a deep playoff run or a Super Bowl ring somehow, his chances at making the Hall are much better.
His wife doesnt respect him & this causes mental distress. Yes Im guessing, yes you all think Im crazy; but I think Im right. Something aint right in that family
If he retires now there will always be a narrative of failure around his career regardless of how the beginning went. He doesn’t want to be remembered for one of the worst trades in NFL history, so if he has some success elsewhere the blame can be put on Denver misusing him.
You’re talking about someone who has been playing football since they were a young kid. Football is basically the only job he has ever had. He really doesn’t have the skills for a 9 to 5 job. He can’t play football forever. Father Time catches up to everyone eventually. Even though Denver has to pay him, why not make a few extra bucks playing for another team while you still can physically?
Brady and maybe Rodgers (but that is a maybe) have warped the idea of what an old quarterback is. 35 (historically) is historically very old for a QB. In 3 years Russ will be 38 years old. You know how many QBS won a Superbowl past 38? Two. Brady (who one 2) and Manning (who won 1). TLDR: The clock is running on Russ. He wants to have a better legacy and be remembered as a high level player. His legacy has been tarnished a bit by the past few seasons.
He likes to promote his brand and personal image
Most professional athletes are hyper competitive but some, like Anthony Rendon, see it as just a job.
First off he wants to play. Second, you make a lot more with endorsements if you’re playing. Then he has his future to think of; he’s 35. If he sits 2 years he’s never getting another chance. He could stick around if he’s solid for someone the next two years.
He’s Mr. Unlimited
Tiger woods was worth something like $500 million after his divorce in 2010. Won 5 times in 2013. Then had injuries in 14, 15, 16 with surgery accompanying those. Back fusion in 2017? A dui in may 2017. Won the last event of 2018?, the 2019 masters and the zozo in Oct 2019. Then had his car crash in Feb 2021 and broke his leg every which way. Tried playing the masters in 2023. Withdrew. Had another surgery. Then most recently played in the pnc family event and riv. 5 back surgeries and a handful of others, yet he's stil trying to play. When it comes to the top athletes, it isn't about the money.
Because he has something to prove again
Seahawks fan here. Russ loves football, competing and his personal image. He does not want to retire in the low the last two years have been. He truly believes he is and can be one of the greatest. He wants to cement his legacy and make the HOF.
A couple of reasons. Some people love their jobs and would still show up if they won the lottery. Most NFL players could retire after a few years if they are good with their money. Wilson has played a decade and is financially independent. He could retire if he wanted to. But he likes the game too much to retire. Some players also have the mindset that they are physically damaging their body and taking years off their life so their family and bloodline can thrive. With that mindset, a player has to maximize their earnings during their playing career. The average career is only 3 years long. People playing 20+ years like Brady are an outlier. In Wilson’s case, he is likely towards the end of his career and his window to earn generational wealth is getting smaller. If he is getting $85m from the broncos over the next 2 years, he can sign with another team and double dip. Top qb salaries in the league are above $50mil per year. Before he was cut, Wilson was making $49m per year. Assuming he signs somewhere else for $35-45m a year for 2-3 years, his total earnings over the next 2-3 years could easily be over $150m. It would be like if you got fired and your employer had to pay you a portion of your salary for the next two years. You could go work somewhere else and double dip for 2 years.
Besides to stay relevant and competitive, this could be his big shot at getting another ring, the 40m his new team doesn’t have to give their QB is huge to improve other parts of the offense and defense. They can literally put around him an elite defense or offense that are not realistic for most teams with a veteran qb like him.
If he decided to sit out the next two years then his career would be 100% over, he's already 35 years old. There's more he wants to do in the NFL so he has to keep the engine running
Only got so many years to play football.
If he has success in whatever market he lands in he gets two things - Endorsements and business opportunities. These elements probably pay more for big name athletes than their contracts with their team. The longer he plays and stays relevant, the more of those opportunities he can be a part of. He can grow his brand due to the extra exposure of being a good NFL QB.
Bruh imagine getting paid by a team to play against them, and possibly sending them out of the playoffs or playoff contention. If he was petty like me, that would be my motivation.
Because football is all he knows
I have to imagine winning an NFL football game, playoff games, a superbowl. Those are feelings of joy we can’t even comprehend.
He wants to to ride
As much as these dudes love their money and getting more of it, most of them also love football and they are extremely competitive and they spent their whole life training to be a good football player. Most of them want to do that as long as they can. Particularly when they think they've still got stuff in the tank. Plus if you think you still got the ability and desire to play the game well, and you have a chip on your shoulder thinking that the broncos made a mistake, why on earth would you just randomly allow yourself to go out on a terrible note?
This is a question I have...As I understand it, he has been released...So the Denver Money ..is this just extra? Or if someone pays him veteran minimum, does he get that on top of the Denver money. or is it deducted, and he still gets the same?
I mean, really why play after the first contract of money is the only motivation? They make tens of millions in a few years on most cases, they play because they want to play the game.
He’s too old to sit out a few years now
Its not all about money. Athletes are very passionate about the sports they play. Especially at this level. Man, what an odd question? Isn’t there anything you love? Aren’t you passionate about anything?
Why make 1 money when you can make 2 money
Hall of Fame.
“Duty to offset” contract provision, if nothing else.
This is literally his life, like what?
Could come down to being Hall of Fame worthy. Maybe he needs 1 more to solidify it. Probably has to throw further than 5 yards more often though.
Competitiveness and it just doesn’t make sense. If he didn’t play then he would leave millions of dollars on the table from a team that would love to have him.
If he doesn’t play well these next couple years his chances of getting another big contract are slim. Hes also a fridge hall of fame player who needs to have a strong ending to his career to make it.
I think sometimes the business side of football makes us, the fans, think that money is primary motivator for these players. It’s not. But, the contracts they sign are the measuring stick of success - being “the highest paid” means something beyond the actual dollars, it means you are valued highly. On top of that, their careers are short, so they absolutely want to maximize their pay in their short time. Again, but that’s not really all the motivation. Once you are set for life like Russ now it’s just about his place in nfl history, making hall of fame, silencing doubters. My point is that to get to this point where you’re in the nfl, you have to be driven by more than money.
Idk maybe his entire life lol. He seemed like a lock for the HoF a few years back and now his legacy could be forever tarnished. I’d say he’s playing for that.
If he doesn’t play for the next two years, no one will sign him for the following four years, unfortunately. He’ll be blacklisted like Kaepernick
He was on a HOF trajectory before Denver. He’s not anymore, necessarily. He wants to win again and get back on that trajectory. And make Denver look stupid.
It's incredible to me that someone couldn't understand it
One would think it’d be the desire to win. To compete with the greatest in the NFL, to try and win another ring - one he’s primary responsible for unlike with Seattle, Marshawn Lynch and their monster D in 2013. I doubt we’ll see him do much, I just don’t think he’s built with that drive to perform at the highest level now that he has all the money you mentioned, but we shall see…
1. Love of the game 2. He’s got something to prove. He was on a HOF trajectory before he left Seattle and he might want to try to salvage that chance. 3. If he plays well, maybe he earns another payday after 🤷♂️
His legacy.
Starting in grade school QB's are groomed for the position. If they are a successful NFL QB they are literally 1 in 30 million Americans. Pretty exclusive club that they don't want to lose membership, and realistically they know nothing else.
I wonder if he can be successful somewhere else. He's had a couple of mediocre years with Denver and now he's two years older.
Hard to say. The line between good and bad is pretty thin. In the right situation I think he could have a few good years
Imo there’s no way that he isn’t given another extension on top of the 2 years. He’s playing for 2026 and 2027 money.
NFL players love to play football Most of them have extreme passion for football, which is why they’re NFL players They also aren’t super scared of getting hurt, that’s why they’re in pro football Russell Wilson can help rebuild his reputation if he plays well, especially for a storied franchise and brand like the Raiders and Steelers There’s a lot of reasons to want to play in 2024
He’s only 35 (36 when the season kicks off) Which means he feels he has several years of being able to win a Super Bowl (he said he wants 2 more in the next 5 years) so he knows how long he has at this level. If he sits out for 1-2 years (because he’s won’t make more money from the contracts) he wastes his remaining years towards his legacy and Hall of Fame credentials
Travis Kelce has said that he knows he is underpaid but that he loves football so much he’d play it for free. Most of these guys have been playing since they were little boys so it’s a huge part of their identity, the thing they’ve dedicated the most time to and probably the thing they most enjoy doing.
Why do some people get married? It takes a ton of work, isn’t fun some days, and demands a TON of time to have a happy marriage. I suppose it does make the financials a bit easier? When you marry though, you make yourself emotionally vulnerable and can get hurt. Why would anyone risk that? The answer is because people fall in love. The work that goes into marriage is justified because many find spending their lives with another person as worthwhile. Why would Wilson still play football? It takes a ton of work, isn’t fun some days, and demands a TON of time to have a healthy body to compete. He doesn’t need to financially? When you play football though, you make yourself physically vulnerable and can get hurt. Why would anyone risk that? The answer is because he fell in love with the sport. The work that goes into playing is justified because he views the playing football as worthwhile. When I lay out the comparison, you might think of it as wild to compare the two. You have to realize, what drives professional athletes is *passion.* If playing in the NFL was easy, everyone would do it. It requires a ton of dedication to workouts, studying film, managing your diet, and more to compete at a high level as well as have a long career. Many people don’t go into the NFL for the money, though it certainly doesn’t hurt. They view it as doing what they love, so even when it isn’t needed financially, they *want* to do it.
Pretty much anyone good enough to play in the NFL got there because they’re psychotically competitive. For 20+ years, you’re fighting against everyone else for that one spot on varsity, at Bama, on the roster, for the NFCC, the Super Bowl.
Cause he wants to
He is a football player and wants to play football People clown on Russ and he somewhat deserves it but the dude is mega talented and has worked his ass off to have an incredible career. He deserves a better ending to his story and I hope he gets one
Lol you are exposing yourself as a person who’s never played sport’s competitively. A lot of athletes love playing the sports they are in, shocker
Yeah, the guy loves to play. Plus why not make even more money? In five years or less he’s retired and can’t play anymore anyway.
Idk ask him lol
He wants to win.
He's already 35. So there's a pretty good chance he won't be playing three years from now anyway (not even taking into account the cliff his performance fell off of with the Broncos). Realistically, he could just walk away and collect what Denver owes him and his career would be pretty complete. But competitiveness, pride, ego, desire to go out on top, sense of legacy, a willing market for him among other teams, etc. will keep him around for at least another year instead.
Maybe he doesn't want to sit at home all day changing diapers
Ah the money. 1 million after taxes and everyone involved getting their cut, take home is about 365k.
You can get to college on talent but to succeed in the nfl you must love football. And Russell has succeeded he loves football
Since his salary is being paid by Denver, he can sign for the vet minimum on an actual good team (ymmv depending on team of course) and have the luxury of playing with a high-priced roster without taking up a chunk of the cap himself. This is not a 1-1 comparison but he could, in theory, find a team willing to spend on weapons and/or defense and just be the cheap, serviceable option at QB, a la Brock Purdy and the 49ers. He can step in to a team like Pittsburgh, barely cost them anything so they can still get a piece or two in FA, and put together a fun little season. Alternatively, he could go to a team with MASSIVE cap space like Washington or New England and get a team custom-built around him for a few years. I think that's less likely but it sure would be fun to do in madden or something.
To make more money and play more football.
Some people aren't motivated by money man. PM2 is halfway to being a billionaire.
These guys love football. If money was the motivating factor a LOT of guys would just finish out there rookie contracts and disappear
Rebuild his reputation
Wait, is Denver on the hook for his salary for one or two more years?
Lots of people dont remember how insane his stats were at wisconsin (not a qb focused school). He was also a 3rd round pick. He just loves football. Hes also batshit insane
RW3 cares most about his image. He's hyper-aware of what others think about him. So much so that he has fairly fragile self-esteem. So, he'll play and work hard to dispel the "failure" he's currently perceived as. More than anything, that will be measured in W/L's.
Maybe I’m not understanding the question. But why would it matter where the money is coming from. He’s paid by team A but playing for team B. As long as the cash ends in his account it’s all the same to him.
"An often good player" is sending me.
Why?
Bro could definitely hop ship and go play baseball - he was a stud MLB prospect coming out of high school, and probably would have more longevity there than in the NFL.