Russell Wilson is just about to begin his 11th NFL season, but he doesn’t appear to be thinking about calling it quits anytime soon.
Wilson addressed his future in passing during a news conference at Broncos training camp Thursday. First, he was asked about how things were coming together in his first season in Denver, and he responded that his time in the NFL has helped him to adjust to a new team.
Then, Wilson sneaked in this tidbit: he is aiming to extend his playing career by at least another decade, if all goes well.
I got another whole 10 to 12 more years hopefully left to play.
Wilson is 33, so extending his career at least a decade would give him a minimum target retirement age of 43. Only seven NFL quarterbacks have played past 43, with the most notable being Tom Brady.
#BroncosCountry LIVE: @DangeRussWilson meets the media after Day 14 of #BroncosCamp https://t.co/Zb7vZnNBPl
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Wilson has been blessed with good health during his NFL career. He has made 158 of 161 potential regular-season starts during his first 10 seasons. If that good fortune continues and he can protect himself while scrambling, he will have a chance to accomplish that goal.
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The timing of Wilson’s assertion should not be ignored. His mention of another decade of play comes shortly after the NFL formally approved the change in ownership of the Broncos to a group led by Walmart heir Rob Walton.
Walton is the richest man in the NFL with a net worth of $59.8 billion. Wilson has just two years remaining on the four-year, $140 million extension he signed with the Seahawks in 2019, so his comment could be him angling for another extension.
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Broncos CEO Greg Penner this week offered praise of Wilson’s skills and leadership but declined to discuss a potential extension with the team’s new franchise quarterback.
“It’s critical to have a great quarterback in this league and coming in this organization with Russell in place is a tremendous benefit for us,” Penner said, per ProFootballTalk. “On our first diligence trip in May here, one of the first people we ran into the hallway when Rob [Walton], Carrie [Walton Penner] and I were here was Russell.
Right away, we got a sense of how positive he is as a leader. He is just such a dynamic individual. I can’t wait to see him on the field. I don’t know how much we will see of him on the field on Saturday, but we are looking forward to it.
At this point, nothing to say about his contract.
Maybe their tune will change now that Wilson has indicated that the end of his career is not close.
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If not, Wilson is still under contract for two more seasons and he doesn’t appear overly focused on signing a new deal. What is more pressing for him is meshing with the Broncos’ system. In his estimation, that has gone well.
“It’s been a blast,” he said. “I feel amazing. I feel the best I’ve ever felt, so strong, feel fast, feel confident. No fear. Feel like a winner.”
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