The New York Giants may have a bye in Week 14, but backup quarterback Russell Wilson will still put in some work. Wilson will serve as a guest analyst on CBS’ “NFL Today” on Sunday during the Giants’ bye week, the network revealed Thursday.
Wilson’s emergence should draw a lot of attention. Not only was he an active player, he was one who, despite his diminished role, still elicited a strong response from fans. Wilson’s social media presence and personality have worked both for him and against him during his 14-year NFL career.
advertise
Despite a stellar start to his career — Wilson was named to the Pro Bowl in nine of his first 10 seasons and led the Seattle Seahawks to a Super Bowl title in 2013 — Wilson’s production has declined in recent years.
Despite the Denver Broncos’ statistical resurgence in 2023, Wilson was benched late in games and was later waived by the team. He still has some beef with Broncos head coach Sean Payton over the decision.
After making his only Pro Bowl season with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Wilson did not re-sign with the team, instead selecting older veteran Aaron Rodgers as the 2025 starter.
That opens the door for Wilson to start the 2025 season for the Giants. The experiment only lasted three games, and aside from a stellar performance in Week 2 against a struggling Dallas Cowboys defense, Wilson failed to improve the team. It didn’t help that Wilson’s third start came in prime time against the Kansas City Chiefs. He didn’t generate much offense initially, throwing for just 160 yards and two interceptions. Wilson was also criticized for throwing the ball out of the end zone late in the game when the Giants were trailing.
advertise
The next week, the team turned to rookie Jaxson Dart and hasn’t looked back. While Dart didn’t lead the team to many wins, his dual-threat ability added some much-needed explosiveness to New York’s offense. It hasn’t always been pretty, but he’s done enough to warrant starting next season.
Dart’s appearance put Wilson in a difficult position. Wilson missed time for the first time in his NFL career in Week 13 as the veteran suddenly exited the team’s plans. With Dart recovering from his concussion, the Giants elected to keep veteran Jameis Winston (who replaced Wilson in Week 12 when Dart was out) as the team’s primary backup.
That cast a different light on Wilson’s appearance on CBS on Sunday. With his NFL career quickly coming to an end, Wilson may view this appearance as a trial run for what he can do after retirement.
advertise
As a player, Wilson clearly has the skills and knowledge to make him an informative and entertaining broadcaster. But these skills don’t always translate into practical results. Greg Olsen was an instant hit as a broadcaster, while Jason Witten was criticized for his inability to impart meaningful knowledge on the game.
With Sunday’s performance, Wilson could become an ideal free agent this offseason… as a broadcaster.