Former Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson may be nearing a career decision that would effectively close the book on his NFL playing days.
Wilson is in “deep discussions” to move into television, according to The Athletic, with CBS’ “The NFL Today” viewed as the favorite landing spot. The report noted that Wilson, 37, has also visited with the New York Jets about potentially backing up Geno Smith, leaving him with two very different paths: continue chasing a roster spot or begin the next phase of his football life.
For Broncos fans, the news lands differently than it does in Seattle, Pittsburgh or New York. Wilson’s Denver chapter was short, expensive and franchise-altering. If this is the end, his two seasons with the Broncos will stand as the turning point between his Hall of Fame-caliber Seahawks run and the journeyman finish that followed.
Russell Wilson Is Reportedly in Talks With CBS About a TV Role
According to The Athletic, Wilson has had lengthy talks with CBS about joining “The NFL Today,” the network’s Sunday pregame show. The opening was created when Matt Ryan left CBS to become the Atlanta Falcons’ president of football.
CBS’ current studio group includes host James Brown and analysts Nate Burleson and Bill Cowher. Wilson has already worked with CBS on select appearances, including during the playoffs, giving the network a preview of what he could offer as a studio analyst.
The Athletic reported CBS also has interest in former Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly, who has done national media work and serves as a radio analyst for Panthers games.
Wilson moving to television would not technically have to mean retirement. Quarterbacks have used media work before while remaining available. But the report described the CBS talks as deep, and Wilson’s reported Jets visit would have been for a backup role behind Smith, his former Seahawks teammate. Wilson visited with the Jets as a possible backup option behind Smith.
That is a long way from where Wilson stood when Denver acquired him in 2022.
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Wilson has remained visible even without a clear NFL landing spot.
The Jets visit gave him at least one possible path back to the league. New York has Smith in place as its starter, and Wilson’s history with him in Seattle would make the fit less awkward than many veteran-backup situations. The New York Post reported that Wilson met with Jets officials in Florham Park as the team explored backup quarterback options.
Still, the CBS talks point in a different direction. A national studio job would give Wilson a weekly platform and allow him to stay close to the game without continuing the late-career cycle of competing for backup jobs.
Wilson has also leaned into a broader public-facing role. He recently made a cameo with the Savannah Bananas at Yankee Stadium, adding a lighthearted baseball appearance to an offseason that has already included NFL interest and television talks.
His wife, Ciara, has remained a major part of Wilson’s public profile as well. Wilson’s off-field brand has long extended beyond football through business ventures, entertainment appearances and family-centered social media content. That matters here because a studio role would not be a jarring pivot for someone who has spent years building a media-friendly image.
For Denver, though, the football piece is still the hook. Wilson’s possible move to television would not undo what happened with the Broncos, but it would signal that one of the strangest quarterback arcs in franchise history is nearing its final turn.
The Broncos bet on Wilson as a missing piece. They ended up absorbing the cost, resetting the roster and moving into a new quarterback era. Now Wilson may be moving on, too.
Ex-Broncos QB Russell Wilson Making Major Career Decision: Report