Getty
One year ago, it was impossible to think Russell Wilson’s career as an NFL quarterback was on anything but life support, if not totally flatlined.
Things were going bad enough for Wilson, a 9-time Pro Bowler, that the Denver Broncos decided it was better to eat $85 million in dead cap space over the 2024 and 2025 seasons than have Wilson on their roster for one second longer.
And that seemed fair. Wilson’s time in Denver was miserable, going 11-19 over 2 seasons and sowing discontent among teammates, fans and coaches after the team signed him to a 5-year, $242.5 million contract in September 2022.
The financial aspect of the deal was bad, but the Broncos also sent 2 first round picks, 2 second round picks and a fifth round pick to the Seattle Seahawks in a trade, along with 3 players.
Wilson wasn’t even a lock to be the starter for the Pittsburgh Steelers when they signed him to a 1-year, $1.21 million contract in March 2024, where he was going to have to compete with former first round pick Justin Fields for the job. Wilson didn’t even make his first start until Week 6 of the 2024 regular season with the Steelers due to a calf injury.
Six games later, the Steelers are 9-3 and in first place in the AFC North and Wilson is 5-1 as a starter and coming off his best game of the season, going 29-of-38 passing for 414 yards, 3 touchdowns and 1 interception in a 44-38 road win over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 13.
For where he was one year ago to where he is now, Wilson seems like a shoo-in for NFL Comeback Player of the Year, which The Ringer’s Bill Simmons pointed out on an episode of “The Bill Simmons Podcast” on December 1.
“What were the Russell Wilson Comeback Player of the Year odd? Because I feel like he already has it wrapped,” Simmons said. “Who is even in the mix? Who else would get it? How is Russell Wilson not Comeback Player of the Year. He was dead last year. Denver paid $50 million (in 2024) in their cap to not have him play anymore, and he didn’t even start the season, and everybody thought Fields was going to be the starter.
“… I got to say, I thought he was done … I’m not saying he’s Russ from 10 years ago, but for whatever they were expecting from him versus what he’s delivering, it has to have surpassed it … if you asked 100 football fans what’s been the most surprising comeback in 2024, Russell Wilson wins the vote.”
Qualifications for NFL Comeback Player of the Year
While the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award traditionally goes to a player returning from a serious injury, it’s also set up to go to a player who flames out like Wilson did in 2023.
From The Football Almanac: “The NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award is presented by the Professional Football Writers of America to the player in the National Football League (NFL) who shows perseverance in overcoming adversity, in the form of not being in the NFL the previous year, overcoming a severe injury, or simply a poor performance.”
History shows Wilson might be more in line to win the award than people think. The last 6 winners have all been quarterbacks and the last 2 winners, Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith and former Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco, were both honored after their careers seemed dead in the water — just like Wilson’s was when he left Denver.
Comments
Former $242 Million Broncos QB May Have ‘Wrapped’ NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award