Russell Carrington Wilson (born November 29, 1988) is an
American football
American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team wi ...
quarterback
The quarterback (commonly abbreviated "QB"), colloquially known as the "signal caller", is a position in gridiron football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive platoon and mostly line up directly behind the offensive line. In modern Am ...
for the
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquar ...
of the
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the majo ...
(NFL). He previously played his first 10 seasons for the
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) West, which they rejoined in 2002 a ...
. Wilson is widely regarded as one of the greatest
dual-threat quarterbacks of all time.
Wilson played
college football
College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football in the United States, American football rules first gained populari ...
and baseball at
NC State from 2008 to 2010 before transferring to
Wisconsin
Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...
in 2011, where he set the single-season
FBS record for passer rating and led them to a
Big Ten title and the
2012 Rose Bowl. He also played
minor league
Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities/markets. This term is used in No ...
baseball for the
Tri-City Dust Devils in 2010 and the
Asheville Tourists in 2011 as a
second baseman.
The Seahawks selected Wilson in the third round (75th overall) of the
2012 NFL Draft. He tied
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning (born March 24, 1976) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons. Nicknamed "the Sheriff", he spent 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and four with ...
's then-record for most passing touchdowns by a
rookie
A rookie is a person new to an occupation, profession, or hobby. In sports, a ''rookie'' is a professional athlete in their first season (or year).
In contrast with a veteran who has experience and expertise, a rookie is usually inexperienced ...
and was named
Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year
Various entities present a National Football League Rookie of the Year Award each season to the top rookie(s) in the National Football League (NFL). The NFL considers the (rookie) of the year awards by the Associated Press (AP) to be its offici ...
.
Wilson has been named to nine
Pro Bowl
The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (starting in 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's star players.
The format has changed thro ...
s and helped lead the Seahawks to two consecutive
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the annual final playoff game of the National Football League (NFL) to determine the league champion. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966, replacing the NFL Championship Game. Since 2022, the gam ...
s, winning
Super Bowl XLVIII. He holds the record for most wins by an NFL quarterback through nine seasons and is one of four quarterbacks in NFL history with a
career passer rating over 100. In April 2019, Wilson signed a four-year, $140 million contract extension with the Seahawks, making him the highest paid player in the NFL at the time.
In 2020, he became just the third quarterback in NFL history to throw for thirty touchdowns in four consecutive seasons.
Wilson is part owner of the
Seattle Sounders FC
Seattle Sounders Football Club is an American professional men's soccer club based in Seattle. The Sounders compete as a member of the Western Conference of Major League Soccer (MLS). The club was established on November 13, 2007, and began ...
of
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer (MLS) is a men's professional soccer league sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation, which represents the sport's highest level in the United States. The league comprises 29 teams—26 in the U.S. and 3 in Cana ...
(MLS). After he purchased his minority stake, the Sounders won the 2019
MLS Cup
The MLS Cup is the annual championship game of Major League Soccer (MLS) and the culmination of the MLS Cup Playoffs. The game is held in November and pits the winner of the Eastern Conference Final against the winner of the Western Conferen ...
.
Early life and background
Wilson was born at
The Christ Hospital in
Cincinnati
Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line w ...
, and grew up in
Richmond, Virginia. His parents are Harrison Benjamin Wilson III, a lawyer, and Tammy Wilson (née Turner), a nurse director.
He has an older brother, Harrison IV, and a younger sister,
Anna
Anna may refer to:
People Surname and given name
* Anna (name)
Mononym
* Anna the Prophetess, in the Gospel of Luke
* Anna (wife of Artabasdos) (fl. 715–773)
* Anna (daughter of Boris I) (9th–10th century)
* Anna (Anisia) (fl. 1218 to 1221) ...
. Wilson started playing football with his father and brother at the age of four, and played his first organized game for the Tuckahoe Tomahawks youth football team in sixth grade.
Wilson's great-great-grandfather was a slave to a
Confederate colonel and was freed after the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and t ...
.
Wilson's paternal grandfather,
Harrison B. Wilson Jr., was a former president of
Norfolk State University
Norfolk State University (NSU) is a public historically black university in Norfolk, Virginia. It is a member of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and Virginia High-Tech Partnership.
History
The institution was founded on September 18, 193 ...
who played football and basketball at
Kentucky State University, and his paternal grandmother, Anna W. Wilson, was on the faculty at
Jackson State University. Wilson's maternal grandfather was noted painter
A. B. Jackson. According to
genetic admixture analysis, Wilson is 62% African, 36% European, 1% West Asian, and 1% Central Asian. His European family lineage has been traced back to 524 A.D. to
Saint Arnulf of Metz via
Charlemagne
Charlemagne ( , ) or Charles the Great ( la, Carolus Magnus; german: Karl der Große; 2 April 747 – 28 January 814), a member of the Carolingian dynasty, was King of the Franks from 768, King of the Lombards from 774, and the first E ...
. Wilson also claims to have some Native American ancestry, but did not say which tribe he came from.
Wilson's father played football and baseball at
Dartmouth and was a wide receiver for the
San Diego Chargers preseason squad in
1980
Events January
* January 4 – U.S. President Jimmy Carter proclaims a grain embargo against the USSR with the support of the European Commission.
* January 6 – Global Positioning System time epoch begins at 00:00 UTC.
* January 9 – In ...
. Wilson's brother, Harry, played football and baseball at the
University of Richmond, and his sister Anna played basketball at
Stanford.
Wilson's father died on June 9, 2010, at age 55 due to complications from
diabetes
Diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by a high blood sugar level ( hyperglycemia) over a prolonged period of time. Symptoms often include frequent urination, increased thirst and increased ...
,
the day after Wilson was drafted by the
Rockies.
High school career
Wilson attended
Collegiate School, a
preparatory school in Richmond, Virginia.
As a junior in 2005, he threw for 3,287 passing yards and 40 passing
touchdown
A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone. In Amer ...
s and
rushed for 634 rushing yards and 15 rushing touchdowns. He was named an all-district, all-region, and all-state player. Wilson was twice named the ''
Richmond Times-Dispatch'' Player of the Year.
As a senior, he threw for 3,009 passing yards, 34 passing touchdowns, and seven
interception
In ball-playing competitive team sports, an interception or pick is a move by a player involving a pass of the ball—whether by foot or hand, depending on the rules of the sport—in which the ball is intended for a player of the same team ...
s. In addition, he rushed for 1,132 yards and 18 touchdowns.
That year, he was named an all-conference and all-state player as well as conference player of the year. He was featured in ''
Sports Illustrated
''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellence tw ...
'' for his performance in the state championship game win. Wilson also served as his senior class president.
During his time in high school, Wilson attended the
Manning Passing Academy The Manning Passing Academy is a four-day American football clinic held annually at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, Louisiana. Held in the summer, it is hosted by the Manning family (Archie, Cooper, Peyton, Eli) and several current and for ...
, a summer football clinic run by multiple NFL MVP winner and eventual Hall of Fame quarterback
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning (born March 24, 1976) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons. Nicknamed "the Sheriff", he spent 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and four with ...
. Due to this encounter, Manning recognized Wilson many years later when the latter had flown to Denver to discuss the prospect of getting drafted by the
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquar ...
, where Manning had recently signed.
Wilson was also a member of the Collegiate School basketball and baseball teams.
Wilson committed to
North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University (NC State) is a public land-grant research university in Raleigh, North Carolina. Founded in 1887 and part of the University of North Carolina system, it is the largest university in the Carolinas. The univers ...
on July 23, 2006. He also received a football scholarship offer from
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university in Durham, North Carolina. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present-day city of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco and electric power industrialist Jam ...
.
College football career
NC State
Wilson
redshirted
Redshirt, in United States college athletics, is a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen their period of eligibility. Typically, a student's athletic eligibility in a given sport is four seasons, aligning with the ...
during the 2007 season at
NC State. In
2008
File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...
, Wilson initially split time at quarterback with senior Daniel Evans and junior Harrison Beck.
However, Evans and Beck saw no regular season action after Week 2 and Week 5, respectively. Thereafter, Wilson led the team to a 4–3 record in
the regular season which NC State finished out on a four-game winning streak. During a 30–24 win over
East Carolina
East Carolina University (ECU) is a public research university in Greenville, North Carolina. It is the fourth largest university in North Carolina.
Founded on March 8, 1907, as a teacher training school, East Carolina has grown from its origi ...
, Wilson threw for 201 yards and three touchdowns. He threw for two touchdowns in each of the last six games in the regular season.
In the
2008 PapaJohns.com Bowl against
Rutgers, Wilson threw for 186 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 46 yards before halftime. Late in the first half, he
scramble
Scramble, Scrambled, or Scrambling may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Games
* ''Scramble'' (video game), a 1981 arcade game
Music Albums
* ''Scramble'' (album), an album by Atlanta-based band the Coathangers
* ''Scrambles'' (album)
...
d to the Rutgers' four-yard line, where he was tackled and suffered a knee sprain. With Wilson sitting out the remainder of the game, his replacements threw a combined total of three interceptions with NC State, eventually losing 29–23.
Over the course of the season, he completed 150 of 275 attempts for 1,955 yards and 17 touchdowns with just one interception. He also recorded 116 carries for 394 yards and four touchdowns.
The
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) is a collegiate athletic conference located in the eastern United States. Headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC's fifteen member universities compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Assoc ...
(ACC) named him the first-team All-ACC quarterback. It was the first time in conference history that a freshman quarterback was named to the first team.
Prior to the
2009 season, Wilson was named quarterback of the pre-season all-ACC football team on July 12. On September 19, Wilson broke
Andre Woodson
Andre' Chandler Woodson, Jr. (born April 25, 1984) is a former American football quarterback and coach. He was drafted by the New York Giants in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. Woodson played collegiately at the University of Kentucky. He f ...
's all-time NCAA record of 325 consecutive pass attempts without an interception against
Gardner–Webb. The 379-pass streak ended in a game against
Wake Forest on October 3. Wilson held the record until November 10, 2012, when it was broken by
Louisiana Tech quarterback
Colby Cameron
Colby Cameron (born April 5, 1990) is an American football quarterback who played for the Fujitsu Frontiers of the X-League. He played college football at Louisiana Tech University.
Early years
Cameron was born in Newbury Park, California, to S ...
. Wilson was named honorable mention All-ACC in 2009.
Wilson finished the 2009 regular season with 3,027 passing yards, 31 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions as the team finished with a 5–7 record.
Wilson led the
2010 Wolfpack to a 9–4 season that included a 23–7 win over
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the ...
in the
2010 Champs Sports Bowl
The 2010 Champs Sports Bowl was a college football bowl game that was played on December 28, 2010. The game matched up the West Virginia Mountaineers from the Big East Conference versus the NC State Wolfpack from the Atlantic Coast Co ...
. He led the ACC in passing yards per game (274.1) and total offensive yards per game (307.5). He was named second-team All-ACC and runner-up for ACC Football Player of the Year.
In May 2010, Wilson graduated from NC State in three years with a BA in communication, and took graduate-level business courses in the fall semester during the 2010 football season.
Transfer
In January 2011, Wilson announced that he would report to
spring training
Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives estab ...
with the
Colorado Rockies organization. NC State head coach
Tom O'Brien expressed reservations with Wilson's decision, saying "Russell and I have had very open conversations about his responsibilities respective to baseball and football. While I am certainly respectful of Russell's dedication to baseball these last several years, within those discussions I also communicated to him the importance of his time commitment to NC State football."
O'Brien and his staff reached out to NFL coaches and general managers on Wilson's behalf, but he failed to receive an invitation to the 2011
NFL Scouting Combine
The NFL Scouting Combine is a week-long showcase occurring every February at Lucas Oil Stadium (and formerly at the RCA Dome until 2008) in Indianapolis, where college football players perform physical and mental tests in front of National Foo ...
.
On April 29, 2011, O'Brien announced that Wilson was granted a release from his football scholarship with one year of eligibility left.
Wisconsin
On June 27, 2011,
Wisconsin
Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...
head coach
Bret Bielema said that Wilson committed to Wisconsin for the
2011 season. In the season opener against
UNLV, Wilson passed for 255 yards and two touchdowns in a 51–17 victory. He also rushed for 62 yards, including a 46-yard touchdown run. At the end of the regular season, Wilson was named first team All-
Big Ten
The Big Ten Conference (stylized B1G, formerly the Western Conference and the Big Nine Conference) is the oldest Division I collegiate athletic conference in the United States. Founded as the Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representati ...
by both the coaches and media. He also won the
Griese-Brees Big Ten Quarterback of the Year award.
In the inaugural
Big Ten Championship Game on December 3, Wilson threw for three touchdowns and led the Badgers to a 42–39 win over the
Michigan State Spartans. Wilson was named the game's Grange-Griffin MVP. In December 2011, Wilson was named a third team All-American by
Yahoo! Sports, and finished ninth in
Heisman Trophy voting with 52 points.
In the
2012 Rose Bowl against the
Oregon Ducks on January 2, 2012, Wilson had 19 pass completions on 25 attempts for 296 yards, 18 rushing yards, and three touchdowns (two passing, one rushing) as the Badgers lost by a score of 45–38. Wilson finished the season with 33 passing touchdowns, which set the single season record at Wisconsin and was the second-most in Big Ten history behind
Drew Brees during the 1998 season at
Purdue (39). Wilson also set the single season
FBS record for
passing efficiency (191.8). On January 28, 2012, Wilson completed his college football career at the
2012 Senior Bowl
The 2012 Senior Bowl was an all-star college football exhibition game featuring players from the 2011 college football season, and prospects for the 2012 Draft of the professional National Football League (NFL). The 63rd edition of the Senior ...
.
Statistics
Professional football career
On January 16, 2012, Wilson began training for the
NFL Scouting Combine
The NFL Scouting Combine is a week-long showcase occurring every February at Lucas Oil Stadium (and formerly at the RCA Dome until 2008) in Indianapolis, where college football players perform physical and mental tests in front of National Foo ...
at the
IMG Madden Football Academy in
Bradenton, Florida
Bradenton ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Manatee County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city's population is 55,698.
History
Late 18th and early 19th centuries
A settlement established by Maroons or escaped sl ...
.
Prior to the
2012 NFL Draft, Wilson had been projected by NFL scouts and analysts to be a middle-round pick. In February 2012, former NFL quarterback and director of the IMG Madden Football Academy
Chris Weinke said of Wilson, "If he was 6–5, he'd probably be the No. 1 pick in the draft."
On April 11, 2012,
ESPN
ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...
''
Monday Night Football
''ESPN Monday Night Football'' (abbreviated as ''MNF'' and also known as ''ESPN Monday Night Football on ABC'' for simulcasts) is an American live television broadcast of weekly National Football League (NFL) games currently airing on ESPN, ...
'' analyst
Jon Gruden
Jon David Gruden (born August 17, 1963) is a former American professional football coach who was a head coach in the National Football League (NFL) for 15 seasons. He held his first head coaching position with the Raiders franchise during thei ...
said, "The only issue with Russell Wilson is his height. That might be the reason he's not picked in the first couple rounds."
Seattle Seahawks
Wilson was selected by the
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) West, which they rejoined in 2002 a ...
in the third round (75th overall) of the
2012 NFL Draft, the sixth quarterback selected. The Seahawks received significant criticism for their selections in the draft, and Wilson in particular, as they had just signed free agent
Matt Flynn
Matthew Clayton Flynn (born June 20, 1985) is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He was a member of the Packers when they won Super Bowl XLV over the Pitts ...
. Two weeks later, Wilson signed a four-year, $2.99 million contract with the Seahawks on May 7, 2012.
2012
Wilson made his preseason debut against the
Tennessee Titans on August 11, 2012, and had his first preseason start on August 24 against the
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division.
The t ...
. Two days later on August 26, 2012, Wilson was named the starting quarterback for the first regular season game after competing with Matt Flynn and
Tarvaris Jackson
Tarvaris D'Andre Jackson (April 21, 1983 – April 12, 2020) was an American football quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). Jackson played college football for both Alabama State and Arkansas. He played professionally for the ...
for the position.
On September 9, 2012, Wilson made his regular season debut in a 20–16 road loss to the
Arizona Cardinals. He had 18 completions on 34 passing attempts for 153 yards, one passing touchdown, and one interception. In the
third regular season game on
Monday night, the Seahawks won 14–12 over the
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. It is the t ...
on a controversial
Hail Mary
The Hail Mary ( la, Ave Maria) is a traditional Christian prayer addressing Mary, the mother of Jesus. The prayer is based on two biblical passages featured in the Gospel of Luke: the Angel Gabriel's visit to Mary (the Annunciation) and Mary' ...
touchdown pass to
Golden Tate
Golden Herman Tate III (born August 2, 1988) is an American baseball player and former football wide receiver who is currently a center fielder for the Port Angeles Lefties of the West Coast League (WCL). He played college football at Notr ...
. The contentious nature of the replacement officials' decision on the play was widely considered to have been the tipping point that led to an agreement being reached to end the
referee lockout.
Wilson earned the
Rookie of the Week honors for his stellar performance in a 28–7 victory over the
New York Jets on November 11; he completed 12 of 19 attempts for 188 yards and two touchdowns, and rushed for 34 yards on seven attempts. He was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week and
Player of the Week for his performance in the 23–17 road win over the
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine ...
in overtime on December 2.
In the 50–17 victory over the
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division ...
in
Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...
on December 16, Wilson had 205 passing yards, one passing touchdown, nine rushes, 92 rushing yards, and a career-high three rushing touchdowns. He earned NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month honors for December 2012 after the Seahawks went 5–0 and he had a passer rating of 115.2.
Wilson finished the regular season ranked fourth in the NFL in passer rating (100.0), beating the previous rookie record set by
Ben Roethlisberger in 2004 (98.1), since broken by
Robert Griffin III in 2012 (102.4) and
Dak Prescott in (104.9). He threw for 3,118 yards and 26 touchdowns, tying
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning (born March 24, 1976) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons. Nicknamed "the Sheriff", he spent 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and four with ...
's record for most touchdowns thrown by a rookie, and rushed for 489 yards and four touchdowns. Wilson's
scrambling mobility and ability to extend plays outside the pocket with his legs earned numerous comparisons to
Hall of Fame quarterback
Fran Tarkenton.
Wilson led the Seahawks to the postseason in his rookie year, with both games on the road in January. He made his postseason debut in the NFC
Wild Card Round against the
Washington Redskins
The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) ...
, passing for 187 yards and rushing for 67 yards as the Seahawks rallied for a 24–14 comeback victory. In the
Divisional Round against the
Atlanta Falcons, Wilson threw for 385 yards and rushed for 60 yards, and his team had a 28–27 lead with 31 seconds to go, but the Falcons managed to kick the winning field goal.
Wilson was selected as an alternate for the
2013 Pro Bowl, filling in for
Matt Ryan of Atlanta. At the Pro Bowl in
Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...
on January 27, Wilson completed eight of ten attempts for 98 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions for a 147.1 rating.
At the end of the season, Wilson earned a bonus of $222,000 through the NFL's Performance-Based Pay program.
2013: Super Bowl championship
The
Seahawks began the
2013 season with the first 4–0 start in franchise history, before losing to the
Indianapolis Colts in Week 5. The Seahawks then went on a 7-game winning streak, including a 41–20 victory over the
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansi ...
where he posted a career-high 151.4 passer rating and culminating in a 34–7 victory over the
Saints in Week 13 in which Wilson threw three touchdown passes and earned his second NFC Offensive Player of the Week award. Over the next three weeks, the Seahawks suffered divisional losses to the
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's Nationa ...
and
Arizona Cardinals (the loss to the Cardinals was Wilson's first home loss), but defeated the
Rams in Week 17 to finish the season with a 13–3 record, the NFC West title, and the No. 1 seed in the
playoffs
The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eit ...
. Wilson finished the season with 26 touchdown passes, 9 interceptions, and a 101.2 passer rating, becoming the first quarterback in the Super Bowl era to post a 100+ passer rating in each of his first two seasons. Wilson was named to his second
Pro Bowl
The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (starting in 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's star players.
The format has changed thro ...
on December 27, 2013. In the
Divisional Round, the Seahawks defeated the
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...
by a score of 23–15. On January 19, 2014, Wilson and the Seahawks defeated the
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's Nationa ...
in the
NFC Championship by a score of 23–17, advancing to
Super Bowl XLVIII. Wilson threw for 206 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions for a 123.1 passer rating in a 43–8 rout of the
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquar ...
.
With the victory, Wilson became just the second black starting quarterback to win a Super Bowl, joining
Super Bowl XXII
Super Bowl XXII was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Washington Redskins and American Football Conference (AFC) champion Denver Broncos to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for ...
winner
Doug Williams. At 5'11", he also became the shortest quarterback to win a Super Bowl, shorter than
Len Dawson,
Joe Theismann
Joseph Robert Theismann (born September 9, 1949) is an American former professional football player, sports commentator, corporate speaker and restaurateur. He rose to fame playing quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) and Can ...
, and
Drew Brees (all 6'0").
Wilson earned a bonus of $169,141.73 for the 2013 season through the NFL's Performance-Based Pay program.
2014: Back-to-back Super Bowl appearances
On September 21, 2014, Wilson led the Seahawks on an 80-yard touchdown drive in overtime to defeat the
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquar ...
, 26–20, in a Week 3 rematch of the previous season's Super Bowl. On October 6, 2014, against the
Washington Redskins
The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) ...
, Wilson set a new ''
Monday Night Football
''ESPN Monday Night Football'' (abbreviated as ''MNF'' and also known as ''ESPN Monday Night Football on ABC'' for simulcasts) is an American live television broadcast of weekly National Football League (NFL) games currently airing on ESPN, ...
'' record for rushing yards by a quarterback in a single game with 122. The Seahawks clinched a playoff spot in Week 16 when the
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divis ...
defeated the
Indianapolis Colts by a score of 42–7, eliminating the
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team play ...
from postseason contention and allowing the Seahawks to clinch their spot before their ''Sunday Night Football'' matchup. On December 21, 2014, Wilson went 20-of-31 and threw for a then-career-high 339 yards with two touchdown passes and a rushing touchdown against the
Arizona Cardinals in a primetime matchup on ''Sunday Night Football''. Wilson also led the offense in gaining 596 yards, setting a franchise record for most yards gained in a game. The Cardinals had the third-best scoring defense heading into Week 16. The Seahawks won 35–6 as they snapped the Cardinals' seven-game home winning streak and regained first place in the NFC West as well as the NFC's #1 seed. The Seahawks defeated the
St. Louis Rams 20–6 in Week 17 to clinch the NFC West and the #1 seed for the second consecutive season, securing homefield advantage for the entirety of the NFC playoffs.
Wilson led the Seahawks to a 31–17 home win over the
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL), as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. ...
in the
Divisional Round, making the Seahawks the first defending Super Bowl Champion to win a playoff game since the 2005 Patriots. The Seahawks hosted the
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. It is the t ...
in their second consecutive
NFC Championship. Wilson threw three first-half interceptions while completing only two passes to his own team as the Seahawks fell behind 16–0 at halftime. With the Packers leading 19–7 and five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, Wilson threw his fourth interception. Then Wilson led the Seahawks on an improbable comeback. On the Seahawks' next drive, Wilson ran the ball in for a touchdown to cut the deficit to 19–14. After a successful onside kick recovery, Wilson led the Seahawks down the field, and Lynch scored to give the Seahawks a 20–19 lead. Wilson completed a 15-yard, two-point conversion pass to Luke Willson to make it 22–19. The Packers tied it up with a field goal at the end of regulation and forced overtime. The Seahawks won the coin toss, and the offense took the field. Wilson led the Seahawks on an 80-yard drive that was capped by a 35-yard game-winning touchdown pass to Kearse. The Seahawks completed their largest postseason comeback in franchise history and clinched a Super Bowl berth.
Wilson would have been selected as an alternate to the
Pro Bowl
The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (starting in 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's star players.
The format has changed thro ...
, but did not play because the Seahawks advanced to the Super Bowl; as Wilson did not have a chance to decline the invitation, the NFL recognizes this as a Pro Bowl berth for him.
The Seahawks became the first defending champion to return to the Super Bowl since the 2004 Patriots. They faced the
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East divisio ...
in
Super Bowl XLIX, where they were defeated by a final score of 28–24. Although the Seahawks led 24–14 heading into the fourth quarter, the Patriots scored two consecutive touchdowns to take a four-point lead with 2:02 remaining. Wilson led the Seahawks to the Patriots' one-yard line with 25 seconds remaining, but Patriots cornerback
Malcolm Butler
Malcolm Terel Butler (born March 2, 1990) is an American football cornerback who is a free agent. He played his first four seasons with the Patriots, who signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2014. After leaving New England, he was a member ...
intercepted a pass intended for
Ricardo Lockette
Ricardo Quantaye Lockette (born May 21, 1986) is a former professional American football wide receiver who played in parts of four seasons for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. Born in Albany, Georgia, Lockette played coll ...
, sealing the victory for the Patriots.
2015
On July 31, 2015, the Seahawks and Wilson agreed to a 4-year, $87.6 million contract extension, making him, at the time, the second-highest-paid player in the NFL. In the first nine games of the season, Wilson threw 10 touchdown passes and seven interceptions. Over the next five games, Wilson threw 19 touchdowns and no interceptions, becoming the only quarterback in NFL history to throw 3+ touchdown passes and no interceptions in five consecutive games. After a 2–4 start to the season, Wilson led the Seahawks to win seven of their next eight games and clinch a fourth consecutive playoff appearance in their Week 15 win over the
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conferenc ...
. His strong performance over the second half of the season, even after losing star running back
Marshawn Lynch and tight end
Jimmy Graham, led many analysts to consider Wilson an MVP candidate.
Wilson broke numerous Seahawks single season passing records in 2015, including most passing yards (4,024), most passing touchdowns (34), and highest passer rating (110.1). He became the first Seahawks quarterback to throw for over 4,000 yards in a season, and finished the year with the highest passer rating in the NFL. Wilson's 51.7% deep ball completion percentage was the highest among NFL quarterbacks. On December 22, 2015, Wilson was named to his third
Pro Bowl
The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (starting in 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's star players.
The format has changed thro ...
. He was ranked 17th on the
NFL Top 100 Players of 2016
The NFL Top 100 Players of 2016 was the sixth season in the series. It aired on May 4, 2016. It ended with reigning NFL MVP Cam Newton being ranked #1. The Kansas City Chiefs had the most players selected with nine, while the Chicago Bears
Th ...
.
The Seahawks traveled to Minnesota to face the
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansi ...
in the
Wild Card Round. The temperature at kickoff was −6°F (−25°F wind chill), making it the third coldest game in NFL history. Wilson struggled in the sub-zero temperatures, throwing for 142 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. The Vikings missed a short field goal in the last minute, allowing the Seahawks to advance to the
Divisional Round to face the 15–1
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL), as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. ...
. Down 31–0 at the half, Wilson helped lead a furious comeback attempt, but the Panthers won 31–24, denying Wilson and the Seahawks their third consecutive in the NFC Championship and a shot at a third consecutive Super Bowl appearance. In that game, Wilson threw for 366 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions.
Wilson was drafted first overall by Team Irvin in the
2016 Pro Bowl draft, and in the game threw eight completions on 12 attempts for 164 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions for a 149.3 rating. He was named the Pro Bowl offensive MVP.
2016
The Seahawks had a solid 2016 season with Wilson at the helm. However, Wilson drew two minor injuries: his ankle during Week 1 against the
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team p ...
after getting stepped on by defensive lineman
Ndamukong Suh, and his left knee against the
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's Nationa ...
during Week 3 after a takedown by linebacker
Eli Harold
Medgar Elisha Harold (born January 20, 1994) is a gridiron football defensive end who is a free agent. He played college football for the University of Virginia Cavaliers.
Early years
Harold attended Ocean Lakes High School in Virginia Bea ...
. The injuries hampered Wilson's trademark mobility, and many speculated that he would be rested in order to properly recover.
Regardless, Wilson started all 16 games in the season. On November 20, against the
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team play ...
, he had a 15-yard touchdown reception on a pass from Doug Baldwin on a trick play. Wilson also played the worst game of his career in 2016, throwing 5 interceptions in a 38–10 loss to the
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. It is the t ...
during Week 14. The team finished with a 10–5–1 record and won the NFC West. Wilson put together a season where he recorded a career-high 4,219 passing yards, 21 passing touchdowns, 259 rushing yards, and one rushing touchdown. The Seahawks made the playoffs, where they defeated the
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) North Division. The team play their home games at For ...
in the
Wild Card Round. The win gave Wilson his eighth playoff victory. However, they fell to the eventual NFC champion
Atlanta Falcons in the
Divisional Round at the
Georgia Dome. As of 2022, this is the only season where Wilson did not earn a Pro Bowl selection. He was ranked 24th by his peers on the
NFL Top 100 Players of 2017
The NFL Top 100 Players of 2017 was the seventh season in the series. It ended with reigning Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady being ranked #1. This made Brady the first player to be voted #1 more than once. It was also just the second time the #1 ranked ...
.
2017
On September 5, 2017, Wilson was voted Seahawks offensive captain for the fifth consecutive season. In Week 3, in a 33–27 loss to the
Tennessee Titans, he was 29 of 49 for 373 passing yards and four passing touchdowns. In Week 8 against the
Houston Texans, Wilson posted an astounding performance, going 26 of 41 for a career-high 452 passing yards and four touchdowns in a matchup where both he and
Deshaun Watson each threw over 400 yards. Wilson also rushed for 30 yards, totaling 482 yards of offense in the 41–38 victory. With his strong performance, Wilson earned NFC Offensive Player of the Week. On December 21, 2017, the Seahawks were fined $100,000 for failure to properly apply the concussion protocol on a hit Wilson sustained during the Week 10 win over the
Arizona Cardinals.
In Week 12, with the win over
San Francisco
San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17t ...
, Wilson became the winningest quarterback in a player's first six seasons with 63 wins, surpassing
Joe Flacco. Next week, with his 15-yard touchdown throw to running back
J. D. McKissic, the third of his game, Wilson tied
Eli Manning in
2011 for the most fourth quarter touchdowns in a single season with 15. He went 20 for 31 for 227 yards and three touchdowns in that game, earning him NFC Offensive Player of the Week. On December 19, 2017, Wilson was named to his fourth Pro Bowl.
The Seahawks ended the season with nine wins, ending Wilson's streak of five consecutive seasons with double-digit wins and a playoff appearance. He threw for 34 touchdown passes, finishing the season as
the league's leader in touchdowns thrown. With 586 rushing yards and three touchdowns, he also finished the season as the team's leading rusher in both categories. Wilson was ranked 11th by his peers on the
NFL Top 100 Players of 2018.
2018
With the Seahawks having lost many Pro Bowl starters in the offseason such as
Cliff Avril
Clifford Samuel Avril (born April 8, 1986) is a former American football defensive end. He played college football at Purdue and was drafted in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions. He has also played for the Seattle Seahaw ...
,
Michael Bennett,
Kam Chancellor,
Jimmy Graham, and
Richard Sherman, and having star safety
Earl Thomas injured in the beginning of the regular season, many considered the team a long shot to return to the playoffs. In addition to dealing with a re-tooled roster, Wilson also had a new offensive coordinator in
Brian Schottenheimer, who replaced
Darrell Bevell
Darrell Wayne Bevell (born January 6, 1970) is an American football coach, who currently serves as the pass game coordinator and quarterbacks coach of the Miami Dolphins. He previously served as offensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings f ...
.
Wilson was once again named as a captain for the Seahawks going into the 2018 season. He started the season with 298 passing yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions in a 27–24 loss to the Denver Broncos in Week 1. In Week 3, against the Dallas Cowboys, he helped lead the Seahawks to their first victory of the season with 192 passing yards and two touchdowns. In Weeks 5–8, against the
Los Angeles Rams,
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders were a professional American football team that played in Oakland from its founding in 1960 to 1981 and again from 1995 to 2019 before relocating to the Las Vegas metropolitan area where they now play as the Las Vegas Ra ...
, and
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) North Division. The team play their home games at For ...
, he had three consecutive games with three passing touchdowns. In Week 13, against the
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's Nationa ...
, he had 185 passing yards and four touchdowns in the 43–16 victory.
In Week 16, the Seahawks faced off against the top-seeded
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division.
The t ...
on ''NBC Sunday Night Football''. Wilson out-dueled the season's eventual MVP
Patrick Mahomes
Patrick Lavon Mahomes II (born September 17, 1995) is an American football quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). The son of former Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher Pat Mahomes, he initially play ...
to lead the team to a 38–31 victory. This not only ensured another winning season for the Seahawks, but also defied early-season expectations by returning to the post-season after a one-year absence. Wilson finished the season with 35 touchdowns and a 110.9 passer rating, both personal and franchise bests. He also set career franchise records with most quarterback regular-season wins (75) and most touchdowns (196). As the No. 5-seed in the NFC, the Seahawks faced off against the
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divis ...
in the
Wild Card Round. Wilson passed for 233 yards and one passing touchdown to go along with a rushing touchdown as the Seahawks fell 24–22.
Wilson was named to the
Pro Bowl
The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (starting in 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's star players.
The format has changed thro ...
for the sixth time in his career, replacing
Aaron Rodgers
Aaron Charles Rodgers (born December 2, 1983) is an American football quarterback for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). Rodgers began his college football career at Butte College in 2002 before transferring to t ...
.
2019
On April 16, 2019, Wilson signed a four-year, $140 million contract extension to remain with the Seahawks through the 2023 season, making him the highest paid player in the NFL.
In Week 2 against the
Pittsburgh Steelers, Wilson threw for 300 yards and three touchdowns as the Seahawks won 28–26, earning him NFC Offensive Player of the Week. In Week 3 against the
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...
, Wilson completed 32 passes for 406 yards and two passing touchdowns. In addition, he rushed seven times for 51 yards and two rushing touchdowns in the 33–27 loss. In Week 5 against the
Los Angeles Rams, Wilson threw for 268 yards and four touchdowns in the 30–29 win on ''Thursday Night Football''. The next week, in a 32–28 victory over the
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conferenc ...
, he had 295 passing yards and two passing touchdowns. In Week 9 against the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The cl ...
, Wilson threw for 378 yards and five touchdowns in the 40–34 overtime win, taking over the league lead in touchdowns and quarterback rating. He was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week for his performance. In Week 10 against the then-undefeated
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's Nationa ...
on ''Monday Night Football'', Wilson threw for 232 yards, one touchdown, one interception and led the Seahawks to a 27–24 overtime win.
Wilson finished the 2019 season with 4,110 passing yards, 31 passing touchdowns, and five interceptions to go along with 75 carries for 342 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns as the Seahawks finished with an 11–5 record and made the playoffs as the NFC's #5 seed. He was once again named to the Pro Bowl, but also made his first appearance on the AP
All-Pro team, being named second-team quarterback after
Lamar Jackson.
In the
Wild Card Round against the
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team play ...
, Wilson completed 18 of 30 passes for 325 yards and a touchdown. In addition, he rushed nine times for 45 yards. He accounted for 95 percent of the Seahawks total offense and led them to a 17–9 victory over the Eagles. In the
Divisional Round against the
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. It is the t ...
, Wilson threw for 277 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 64 yards during the 28–23 loss.
Wilson was ranked 2nd on the
NFL Top 100 Players of 2020
The NFL Top 100 Players of 2020 is the tenth season in the NFL Top 100 series. It premiered on July 26, 2020 and the final episode aired on July 29, 2020. It started later than in previous years, and the show was shown in 4 consecutive days instea ...
, the highest of his career, and beat out the likes of renowned quarterbacks like
Patrick Mahomes
Patrick Lavon Mahomes II (born September 17, 1995) is an American football quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). The son of former Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher Pat Mahomes, he initially play ...
,
Aaron Rodgers
Aaron Charles Rodgers (born December 2, 1983) is an American football quarterback for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). Rodgers began his college football career at Butte College in 2002 before transferring to t ...
, and
Tom Brady.
2020
Wilson started off the 2020 season going 31 of 35 for 322 passing yards and four passing touchdowns in the 38–25 victory over the
Atlanta Falcons. He was named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week for his performance in Week 1. In Week 2, against the
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East divisio ...
on ''NBC Sunday Night Football'', he had 288 passing yards, five passing touchdowns, and one interception in the 35–30 victory. Wilson continued his great start to the season with 315 passing yards and five touchdowns in the 38–31 victory over the
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divis ...
. Wilson set an NFL record most passing touchdowns through three games with 14. He was again named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week for his performance in Week 3. On October 1, 2020, Wilson was named the NFC Offensive Player of the Month for his performance in September. In Week 4, Wilson passed for 360 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception in the 31–23 victory over the
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team p ...
.
In Week 5 against the
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansi ...
on ''Sunday Night Football'', Wilson threw for 217 yards and three touchdowns, including the game-winning six-yard touchdown pass to
DK Metcalf
DeKaylin Zecharius "DK" Metcalf (born December 14, 1997) is an American football wide receiver for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Ole Miss. He is the son of former NFL guard Terrence ...
with 14 seconds left in the game, during the 27–26 win. This win was his 100th win in 148 total games as starting quarterback for the Seahawks. In Week 7 against the
Arizona Cardinals, Wilson completed 33 of 50 passes for 388 yards and three touchdowns, plus rushed 6 times for 48 yards, but threw three interceptions including a costly one to
Isaiah Simmons
Isaiah Simmons (born July 26, 1998) is an American football inside linebacker for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Clemson and was drafted by the Cardinals eighth overall in the 2020 ...
with one minute left in overtime as the Seahawks lost 37–34. In Week 8 against the
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's Nationa ...
, he threw for 261 yards and four passing touchdowns in the 37–27 victory. In Week 9, against the
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division ...
, he had 390 passing yards, two passing touchdowns, and two interceptions to go along with a rushing touchdown in the 44–34 loss, with the 44 points the
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division ...
scored becoming the highest number of points allowed in the Pete Carroll era.
In Week 14 against the
New York Jets, Wilson threw for 206 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception during the 40–3 win. In the Week 17 season finale against the
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's Nationa ...
, Wilson threw for 20 of 36 for 181 yards and 2 touchdowns and also rushed for 29 yards in the 26–23 victory. Overall, Wilson finished the 2020 season with 4,212 passing yards, 40 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions. Wilson broke his own franchise record for passing touchdowns in a single season with his efforts in 2020.
In the Wild Card Round, Wilson could not recreate his success from the regular season, only completing 11 of 27 passes for 174 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception that was returned for a touchdown by
Darious Williams
Darious Williams (born March 15, 1994) is an American football cornerback for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at UAB Blazers football, UAB.
Early life and high school
Williams was born ...
in a 30–20 loss to the
Los Angeles Rams. A few days later on February 6, Wilson was named
Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year for his consistent and outgoing community service throughout the entirety of his career.
Wilson was ranked 12th on the
NFL Top 100 Players of 2021
NFL Top 100 Players of 2021 is the eleventh season in the NFL Top 100 series. It premiered on August 15, 2021, and concluded on August 28, 2021. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was named the number one player.
Episode list
Th ...
, the third highest ranking of his career.
2021: Final year in Seattle
During the Seahawks Week 5 loss to the
Los Angeles Rams, Wilson left the game after suffering a broken finger in the third quarter. He had surgery to repair the injury on October 8, 2021. On October 15, 2021, he was ruled out for the Seahawks' Week 6 game against the
Pittsburgh Steelers. It was the first game he missed in his career, which ended a streak of 149
consecutive games started by an NFL quarterback, which is sixth all-time. He was placed on injured reserved later that same day, ensuring he would miss the next three games at minimum. He was activated off injured reserve November 12. Wilson finished the season with 3,113 passing yards, 25 touchdowns, six interceptions, and an additional two rushing touchdowns as the Seahawks finished with a 7–10 record.
Denver Broncos
On March 16, 2022, the Seahawks traded Wilson and a fourth-round pick to the
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquar ...
in exchange for two first-round picks, two second-round picks, a fifth-round pick, quarterback
Drew Lock
Andrew Stephen Lock (born November 10, 1996) is an American football quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Missouri and was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the second round o ...
, defensive lineman
Shelby Harris
Shelby Harris (born August 11, 1991) is an American football defensive end for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Illinois State and was selected in the seventh round of the 2014 NFL Draft ...
, and tight end
Noah Fant
Noah Fant (born November 20, 1997) is an American football tight end for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Iowa, and was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the first round of the 2019 NFL Dr ...
.
Teammates said the trade was unavoidable, as Wilson broke with the team and "checked out" mid-season. Seahawks chairman
Jody Allen released a statement indicating that the trade was initiated by Wilson. The Seahawks said that Wilson did not approve of the team firing offensive line coach
Mike Solari
Mike Solari (born January 16, 1955) is an American football coach and former player. Solari has previously worked for five other National Football League (NFL) teams, including a stint as offensive coordinator of the Kansas City Chiefs from 200 ...
and offensive coordinator
Brian Schottenheimer. Wilson said that while he did not initiate the trade, the decision was mutual.
On September 1, 2022, Wilson signed a five-year, $245 million contract extension with the Broncos.
2022
In the season opener of the 2022 season, against the
Seahawks, Wilson completed 29 of 42 passes for 340 yards and one touchdown in a 17–16 loss to his former team.
In Week 2 against the
Houston Texans, Wilson went 14 of 31 for 219 yards, one touchdown, and one interception in a 16–9 win, his first as a Bronco. Despite an 11–10 victory over the
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's Nationa ...
in week 3, Wilson threw no touchdowns and only 126 yards. In Week 4 against the
Las Vegas Raiders, Wilson completed 17 of 25 passes for 237 yards and two touchdowns, and also had 29 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown, but lost 32–23. Against the
Indianapolis Colts, Wilson went 21 of 39 for 274 yards, no touchdowns, and two interceptions in a 12–9 overtime loss. After the game, Wilson underwent a procedure on his right shoulder.
In Week 6 against the
Los Angeles Chargers, Wilson completed 10 passes for 116 yards and a touchdown for a 148.3 passer rating in the first quarter, but lost 19–16 in overtime. During the game, Wilson suffered a partially torn hamstring, making him miss the next week against the
New York Jets. In Week 8 against the
Jacksonville Jaguars in
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
, Wilson went 18 of 30 for 252 yards, one touchdown, and one interception in a 21–17 win, despite trailing 10–0 early in the game.
In Week 10 against the
Tennessee Titans, Wilson went 21 of 42 for 286 yards, one touchdown, and one interception in a 17–10 loss. In a Week 11 rematch against the Las Vegas Raiders, Wilson went 24 of 31 for 247 yards, no touchdowns, and no interceptions in a 22–16 overtime loss. Against the
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL), as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. ...
in week 12, Wilson went 19 of 35 for 142 yards and a touchdown in a 23–10 loss.
In Week 13 against the
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The team plays its ...
, Wilson went 17 of 22 for 189 yards, no touchdowns, and no interceptions in a 10–9 loss. In Week 14 against the
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division.
The t ...
, Wilson went 23 of 36 for 247 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception in a 34–28 loss, but left the game after sustaining a concussion during the fourth quarter. Despite passing concussion protocols, Wilson missed the Broncos Week 15 game against the
Arizona Cardinals.
Wilson returned in Week 16 against the
Los Angeles Rams, where he threw for 214 yards, a touchdown, three interceptions, and was sacked six times in the 51-14 loss.
NFL career statistics
Regular season
Postseason
NFL records
* Most passing yards in a playoff game by a rookie: 385
* Most fourth quarter touchdown passes in a season: 16 (2017)
Seattle Seahawks records
* Highest passer rating, career (minimum 500 attempts): 101.7
* Highest passer rating, season (minimum 200 attempts): 110.9, 2018
* Highest passer rating, rookie season (minimum 200 attempts): 100.0
* Highest completion percentage, career (minimum 500 attempts): 64.5
* Highest completion percentage, season (minimum 200 attempts): 68.1, 2015
* Highest completion percentage, rookie season (minimum 200 attempts): 64.1
* Lowest percentage passes intercepted, career (minimum 500 attempts): 1.80
* Lowest percentage passes intercepted, rookie season (minimum 200 attempts): 2.54
* Most rushing yards by a quarterback, career: 3,993
* Most rushing yards by a quarterback, season: 849, 2014
* Most rushing yards by a quarterback, rookie season: 489
* Highest yard rushing average, career (minimum 400 attempts): 5.6
* Highest yard rushing average, season (minimum 100 attempts): 7.2
* Most passing yards, career: 29,734
* Most passing yards, season: 4,219, 2016
* Most passing yards, rookie season: 3,118
* Most passing yards, game: 452 on October 29, 2017, against the Houston Texans
* Most passing touchdowns, career: 227
* Most passing touchdowns, season: 35, 2018
* Most passing touchdowns, rookie season: 26
* Most passing touchdowns, game (tied with three players): 5
* Most pass completions, season: 353, 2016
* Most games with a passing TD, career: 126
Awards and honors
NFL
*
Super Bowl XLVIII Champion
* 2x
NFC Champion (2013, 2014)
* 9× Pro Bowl (2012–2015, 2017–2021)
* Second-team
All-Pro (
2019)
* NFC Offensive Player of the Month (September 2020)
* NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month (December 2012)
* 11× NFC Offensive Player of the Week
*
Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week (Week 10, 2012)
*
PFWA Good Guy Award (2014)
* 7×
FedEx Air Player of the Week
* 3x
Steve Largent Award (2012, 2018, 2019)
*
NFL Top 100: 51st (2013), 20th (2014), 22nd (2015), 17th (2016), 24th (2017), 11th (2018), 25th (2019), 2nd (2020), 12th (2021)
* Walter Payton Man Of The Year (2020)
* Bart Starr Award (2022)
MLS
*
2019 MLS Cup Champion (as part owner of the
Seattle Sounders FC
Seattle Sounders Football Club is an American professional men's soccer club based in Seattle. The Sounders compete as a member of the Western Conference of Major League Soccer (MLS). The club was established on November 13, 2007, and began ...
)
Baseball career
After graduating from high school, Wilson was selected by the
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. As one of the American League's eight charter ...
as the fifth pick in the 41st round (1,222nd overall) of the
2007 MLB draft. The Orioles considered Wilson a talent worthy of the first ten rounds and offered him a $350,000
signing bonus, the third-largest they offered a draftee that year after
Matt Wieters ($6 million) and
Jake Arrieta ($1.1 million). Wilson instead chose to attend NC State that fall. In a 2008 interview, Wilson said, "I was leaning towards
ntering the draft but a college education is something you'll always have."
College baseball
Wilson was a member of the
NC State Wolfpack baseball team from 2008 to 2010, and in the summer of 2009 played for the
Gastonia Grizzlies, a
collegiate summer baseball team in the
Coastal Plain League. He hit .282/.384/.415 with five
home run
In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...
s and 30
runs batted in
A run batted in (RBI; plural RBIs ) is a statistic in baseball and softball that credits a batter for making a play that allows a run to be scored (except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play). For example, if the b ...
(RBIs) during his collegiate career.
Professional baseball
On June 8, 2010, Wilson was drafted by the
Colorado Rockies in the fourth round (140th pick overall) of the
2010 MLB draft
The 2010 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft was held on June 7–9, 2010 at the MLB Network Studios in Secaucus, New Jersey.
First-round selections
The draft order was determined based on the 2009 MLB standings, with the worst team p ...
. That summer he played 32 games as a
second baseman for the
Tri-City Dust Devils, the
Class A Short Season affiliate of the Rockies in the
Northwest League. He finished the season with two home runs, 11 RBIs, and a .230 batting average.
In the summer of 2011, Wilson played 61 games for the
Asheville Tourists, the
Class A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies in the
South Atlantic League
The South Atlantic League, often informally called the Sally League, is a Minor League Baseball league with teams predominantly in states along the Atlantic coast of the United States from New York to Georgia. A Class A league for most of its ...
. He hit three home runs with 15 RBIs and a .228 batting average.
In January 2012, Wilson informed the Rockies that he would be pursuing a career in the NFL and would not report to
spring training
Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives estab ...
for the 2012 season.
On December 12, 2013, Wilson was acquired from the Rockies by the
Texas Rangers in the
Triple-A phase of the
Rule 5 draft. Wilson attended Rangers
spring training
Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives estab ...
in
Surprise, Arizona
Surprise is a city in Maricopa County, in the U.S. state of Arizona. The population was 143,148 at the 2020 census, up from 117,517 in 2010 and just 30,848 in 2000.
The city has a Aquatics Center and Maricopa County's northwest regional libra ...
in 2014 and 2015.
On February 7, 2018, Wilson was traded from the Rangers to the
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one ...
and assigned to the Yankees' Double-A affiliate, the
Trenton Thunder
The Trenton Thunder are a collegiate summer baseball team of the MLB Draft League. They are located in Trenton, New Jersey, and play their home games at Trenton Thunder Ballpark.
From 1994 to 2020, it was a Minor League Baseball team of the ...
.
Wilson grew up as a Yankees fan and promised his late father that he would one day wear the Yankees uniform. On March 2, Wilson pinch-hit for
Aaron Judge
Aaron James Judge (born April 26, 1992) is an American professional baseball outfielder for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB). Judge was unanimously selected as the American League (AL) Rookie of the Year in 2017, and fin ...
in the fifth inning against the
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The Braves were founded in ...
, his first appearance in a professional baseball game since 2011. He struck out on five pitches from Braves pitcher
Max Fried
Max Dorian Fried ( ; born January 18, 1994), nicknamed "Maximus", is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball (MLB). Drafted in 2012 by the San Diego Padres in the first round, seventh overall ...
.
Business ventures and endorsements
On April 26, 2012, Wilson announced he had chosen French/West/Vaughan as his marketing, public relations, and endorsements agency.
Since being named the starting quarterback of the Seahawks in August 2012, Wilson has appeared in advertisements for
Levi's,
American Family Insurance,
Pepsi
Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink manufactured by PepsiCo. Originally created and developed in 1893 by Caleb Bradham and introduced as Brad's Drink, it was renamed as Pepsi-Cola in 1898, and then shortened to Pepsi in 1961.
History
Pepsi wa ...
,
Nike,
Alaska Airlines,
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational technology corporation producing computer software, consumer electronics, personal computers, and related services headquartered at the Microsoft Redmond campus located in Redmond, Washi ...
,
Duracell,
Braun
Braun is a common surname, originating from the German word for the color brown. The name is the 22nd most common family name in Germany. Many German emigrants to the United States also changed their name to ''Brown'' (''see Brown (surname)''). ...
,
Bose,
United Way, and Larson Automotive Group.
In 2014, Wilson became part-owner and endorser of Eat the Ball, a European bread company.
In 2015, he began endorsing
Luvo, a frozen food company, and Reliant Recovery Water. On February 29, 2016, Wilson launched Good Man Brand, a clothing line which he co-founded. In August 2016, it was announced that Wilson had partnered with Juice Press to open the company's first Seattle franchise.
On November 14, 2016, Wilson announced he had joined
Chris Hansen,
Wally Walker
Wally may refer to:
Music
* Wally (band), British prog rock band
** ''Wally'' (album), a 1974 album by Wally
* ''La Wally'', an opera by Alfredo Catalani
Other uses
*Wally (given name), a list of people and fictional characters
*WALLY, a propose ...
, and Erik and Pete Nordstrom as partners in the investment group working to bring
a new sports arena to Seattle's
SoDo neighborhood for potential
NBA and
NHL teams.
In 2017, Wilson founded a fan network platform to connect fans with celebrities called TraceMe. TraceMe launched its public beta on September 8, 2017, and announced $9 million in
Series A funding with investors including
Jeff Bezos
Jeffrey Preston Bezos ( ;; and Robinson (2010), p. 7. ''né'' Jorgensen; born January 12, 1964) is an American entrepreneur, media proprietor, investor, and commercial astronaut. He is the founder, executive chairman, and former presi ...
'
Bezos Expeditions
Bezos Expeditions is an American investment firm based in Mercer Island, Washington. It serves as a family office for Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos by managing his personal investments. The firm invests in early stage ventures, late stage ventu ...
,
Alibaba co-founder
Joe Tsai, and
YouTube
YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second mo ...
co-founder
Chad Hurley.
On November 20, 2017,
football helmet manufacturer VICIS announced a $7 million investment round which included Wilson as an investor.
In June 2018, Wilson and his wife
Ciara
Ciara Princess Wilson ( ; Harris; born October 25, 1985) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, model and entrepreneur. She released her debut studio album, '' Goodies'' in 2004, which spawned four singles: " Goodies" (featuring Petey Pa ...
announced they were joining an effort to bring a
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (A ...
franchise to
Portland, Oregon
Portland (, ) is a port city in the Pacific Northwest and the largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon. Situated at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers, Portland is the county seat of Multnomah County, the most populous ...
. In July 2018, Wilson became an investor and endorser for Molecule, a mattress company.
In September 2018, Wilson was announced as the next athlete to appear on the cover of the
Wheaties cereal box.
In August 2019, Wilson and Ciara announced that they had joined the ownership group of
Seattle Sounders FC
Seattle Sounders Football Club is an American professional men's soccer club based in Seattle. The Sounders compete as a member of the Western Conference of Major League Soccer (MLS). The club was established on November 13, 2007, and began ...
, the local
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer (MLS) is a men's professional soccer league sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation, which represents the sport's highest level in the United States. The league comprises 29 teams—26 in the U.S. and 3 in Cana ...
club. The Sounders went on to win the
2019 MLS Cup, giving Wilson an
MLS Cup
The MLS Cup is the annual championship game of Major League Soccer (MLS) and the culmination of the MLS Cup Playoffs. The game is held in November and pits the winner of the Eastern Conference Final against the winner of the Western Conferen ...
to his credit as part owner.
In January 2020, Wilson was named Chairman of NFL FLAG. The global partnership will focus on strengthening NFL FLAG domestically and expanding the league internationally. He has worked with the
flag football organizations in China, Brazil, Canada, and the United Kingdom to help spread awareness of the sport and get athletes engaged in the game at a young age. More recently, both Wilson and Ciara struck first look deal with Amazon Studios.
In popular culture
Wilson has appeared on the cover of several magazines including ''
Sports Illustrated
''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellence tw ...
'', ''
Sports Illustrated Kids
''Sports Illustrated Kids'' (''SI Kids'', trademarked ''Sports Illustrated KIDS'', sometimes ''Sports Illustrated for Kids'') is a monthly spin-off of the weekly American sports magazine ''Sports Illustrated''. ''SI Kids'' was launched in January 1 ...
'', ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'', ''
ESPN The Magazine'', ''
Men's Fitness'', and ''
Men's Health''.
Rapper
Eminem mentions Wilson in his 2013 song, "
The Monster":
Wilson has appeared on ''
Late Show with David Letterman'', ''
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
''Jimmy Kimmel Live!'' is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, broadcast on ABC. The nightly hour-long show debuted on January 26, 2003, at Hollywood Masonic Temple in Hollywood, California, as part of ABC's ...
'', ''
Late Night with Seth Meyers'', ''
Charlie Rose'', and in the 2015 film ''
Entourage''. He also hosted the
2015,
2016, and
2017 Kids' Choice Sports
The 4th Annual Kids' Choice Sports was held on July 13, 2017, at the Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles, California, and was broadcast three days later on July 16. Seattle Seahawks quarterback and Super Bowl Champion Russell Wilson returned as host ...
on
Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (often shortened to Nick) is an American pay television channel which launched on April 1, 1979, as the first cable channel for children. It is run by Paramount Global through its networks division's Kids and Family Group. It ...
.
Wilson was the keynote speaker for the commencement address at both of his alma maters in 2016 at the
University of Wisconsin–Madison
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United Stat ...
and in 2021 at
North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University (NC State) is a public land-grant research university in Raleigh, North Carolina. Founded in 1887 and part of the University of North Carolina system, it is the largest university in the Carolinas. The univers ...
.
Personal and academic life
Wilson graduated from
NC State with a
bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to si ...
in broadcast/communications in 2010 after three years of study. After transferring to the
University of Wisconsin
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United Stat ...
, he earned a
master's degree
A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice. in educational leadership and policy analysis.
Wilson met his first wife, Ashton Meem, while they were both high school students. They married in January 2012 and divorced in April 2014.
Wilson is married to American R&B singer
Ciara
Ciara Princess Wilson ( ; Harris; born October 25, 1985) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, model and entrepreneur. She released her debut studio album, '' Goodies'' in 2004, which spawned four singles: " Goodies" (featuring Petey Pa ...
. They began dating in early 2015 and announced their engagement on March 11, 2016. They were married on July 6, 2016, at
Peckforton Castle in
Cheshire, England. He has a stepson from her relationship with
Future. Their daughter was born on April 28, 2017. On January 30, 2020, they announced that they were expecting their second child together.
Their son was born on July 23, 2020. In 2022, the couple purchased a home in
Cherry Hills Village, Colorado for $25 million, setting the record for the most expensive residential property purchase in the
Denver metropolitan area
Denver is the central city of a conurbation region in the U.S. state of Colorado. The conurbation includes one continuous region consisting of the six central counties of Adams, Arapahoe, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, and Jefferson. The Denver r ...
.
While Wilson was playing for the Seahawks, he and Ciara lived in the
Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest region o ...
suburb of
Bellevue, Washington until selling their home in April 2022 for $36 million. Wilson also has a house in
San Diego
San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the eighth most populous city in the United States ...
.
Wilson is a devout
Christian. He frequently speaks about his Christian faith on his social media accounts. Wilson and Ciara made a vow to be
celibate
Celibacy (from Latin ''caelibatus'') is the state of voluntarily being unmarried, sexually abstinent, or both, usually for religious reasons. It is often in association with the role of a religious official or devotee. In its narrow sense, th ...
until they got married.
His net worth as of October 2016 is $120 million.
Wilson's younger sister
Anna
Anna may refer to:
People Surname and given name
* Anna (name)
Mononym
* Anna the Prophetess, in the Gospel of Luke
* Anna (wife of Artabasdos) (fl. 715–773)
* Anna (daughter of Boris I) (9th–10th century)
* Anna (Anisia) (fl. 1218 to 1221) ...
played basketball at
Stanford.
In September 2021, Wilson and Ciara announced that they were writing a children's book called ''Why Not You?'' to help kids pursue their dreams. The book was released on March 1, 2022.
Charitable work
Wilson was an active volunteer in the Seattle community. During the NFL season, Wilson made weekly visits on his days off to the
Seattle Children's Hospital
Seattle Children's, formerly Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center, formerly Children's Orthopedic Hospital, is a children's hospital in the Laurelhurst neighborhood of Seattle, Washington. The hospital specializes in the care of infa ...
, and has also visited soldiers at
Joint Base Lewis-McChord
A joint or articulation (or articular surface) is the connection made between bones, ossicles, or other hard structures in the body which link an animal's skeletal system into a functional whole.Saladin, Ken. Anatomy & Physiology. 7th ed. McGraw ...
.
In the offseason, Wilson hosts the Russell Wilson Passing Academy, a youth football camp, in several cities. In 2012, proceeds from the camp went to the Charles Ray III Diabetes Association, for which Wilson is the National Ambassador. In 2013 and 2014, Wilson partnered with
Russell Investments for its "Invested with Russell" program, which donated $3,000 to Wilson's charitable foundation for every touchdown he scored.
Wilson co-hosts an annual charity golf event along with
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. The privately owned company was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1948, and ...
driver
Kasey Kahne at Suncadia Resort in
Cle Elum, Washington to support various organizations including
Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Seattle Children's Hospital. In August 2016, Wilson's Why Not You Foundation raised $1,060,005 for the Seattle Children's Hospital's Strong Against Cancer initiative.
In March 2020, Wilson and Ciara partnered with
Food Lifeline
Food Lifeline is a non-profit organization that supplies food to different food banks across Western Washington. Food Lifeline is responsible for repackaging and delivering food to 275 different organizations that distribute meals to the Western ...
to donate one million meals to those in need during the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
.
In May 2022, Wilson and Ciara received the
Paul G. Allen Humanitarian Award for their philanthropic contributions to Seattle.
In July 2022, Wilson and Ciara pledged to donate $500,000 to nonprofit organizations in Colorado.
See also
*
List of NCAA Division I FBS passing touchdowns leaders
The NCAA Division I FBS passing leaders are career, single-season, and single-game passing leaders in yards, touchdowns, efficiency, completions, completion percentage, and interception percentage. These lists are dominated by more recent players ...
*
List of NCAA major college football yearly passing leaders
*
List of Seattle Seahawks starting quarterbacks
These quarterbacks have started at least one game for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. They are listed in order of the date of each player's first start at quarterback for the Seahawks.
Starting quarterbacks
The number ...
*
List of Super Bowl starting quarterbacks
This is a list of National Football League (NFL) quarterbacks who have started in the Super Bowl.
Winning and losing quarterbacks
Quarterbacks with multiple Super Bowl starts
Super Bowl wins are often used to determine the greatness ...
*
List of NFL quarterbacks who have posted a perfect passer rating
*
References
External links
Denver Broncos bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wilson, Russell
1988 births
Living people
African-American baseball players
African-American Christians
African-American players of American football
American football quarterbacks
American humanitarians
American people who self-identify as being of Native American descent
American philanthropists
American soccer chairmen and investors
Asheville Tourists players
Baseball players from Cincinnati
Baseball players from Richmond, Virginia
Baseball players from Seattle
Baseball second basemen
Denver Broncos players
Major League Soccer owners
National Conference Pro Bowl players
NC State Wolfpack baseball players
NC State Wolfpack football players
Players of American football from Cincinnati
Players of American football from Richmond, Virginia
Players of American football from Seattle
Seattle Seahawks players
Tri-City Dust Devils players
Unconferenced Pro Bowl players
Wisconsin Badgers football players