Might want to invest in some Terrible Towels Badgers fans, Russell Wilson is officially a Steeler. Former third-round pick out of Wisconsin, Wilson has found his new team. The former Badger signed a one-year $1.2 million deal after being released by the Denver Broncos on Monday, March 4.
Now you might be looking at that number and thinking how Wilson would agree to such little money, I mean he is a Super Bowl-winning quarterback. Well, that is because the Denver Broncos will owe Wilson $38.8 million next season. This allows Wilson to take a team-friendly deal with his new squad.
Nine-time Pro-Bowl QB and former Super-Bowl champ Russell Wilson plans to sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers, per league sources. Wilson will sign a team-friendly, one-year deal in which the Broncos will wind up paying $38 million of his salary while Wilson wears the black and… pic.twitter.com/eqQC8w0tIK
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 11, 2024
Wilson had a rough two years since being traded to the Denver Broncos in 2022, in what would be a monumental trade. The Broncos lost a lot of first-round picks and two players. Before Wilson even stepped on the field for the Broncos, the organization signed him to a five-year $245 million extension. After cutting Wilson, the Broncos will now have a $84 million dead cap hit, not something any team wants for a player who isn't even on the field with them.
In two years with the Broncos, Wilson played in 30 games before being benched after their Christmas Day game. He threw for 6,594 yards and 42 touchdowns but also added 19 interceptions, 11 of those coming in his first season.
Under new head coach Sean Payton in 2023, the quarterback-coach pairing seemed to be rocky from the beginning. Payton decided to bench Wilson late in the year, even though his play has significantly improved from year one with the Broncos.
Wilson knew early on when he was going to get benched and when that happened, he was most likely going to be released from the team. After the Broncos officially released Wilson, he went on his free agency tour meeting with the New York Giants first and then the Pittsburgh Steeler.
The news broke about 1:00 a.m. EST on Monday, March 11, the first day of free agency as it was the first news of a free agent signing of the new league year.