It's no secret that Russell Wilson's playing days in the NFL are numbered as he enters his first season with the New York Giants.
After signing a one-year deal with Big Blue in the offseason to open the year as the starter, questions still linger about when first-round pick Jaxson Dart will take over, especially after his impressive preseason debut against the Buffalo Bills. With Wilson entering his 14th NFL season at 36 years old, it’s fair to wonder if his best playing days are behind him.
Russell Wilson’s 'magic' slammed before he even takes a snap for Giants
In an article for The Athletic, Mike Sando ranked NFL starting quarterbacks entering the 2025 season into tiers. When Wilson’s name appeared, the 10-time Pro Bowler and former Super Bowl-winning quarterback landed in Tier 4 at 26th overall.
According to Sando, Tier 4 is for unproven players or veterans not expected to play all 17 games. The quarterbacks ranked behind Wilson were Justin Fields, Michael Penix Jr., J.J. McCarthy, Daniel Jones, Joe Flacco, Anthony Richardson, and Spencer Rattler.
The basis behind his placement came from a defensive coordinator, who said, "What he had that was magical about him — the ability to create plays on the move — is gone." So there you have it, no more magic for Russ, which is terrible news for New York. But perhaps the 36-year-old can pull one more rabbit out of his helmet in 2025.
Even though Wilson is simply a placeholder at quarterback for the Giants until they feel Dart is ready to take over as the starter, the veteran can still fling it, given his age, and has more upside than what Big Blue had over the last six seasons with Jones under center. During his lone season with the Pittsburgh Steelers last year, Wilson passed for 2,400 yards with 16 touchdowns and five interceptions in 11 regular-season games.
Despite the Giants and their fans potentially having a short leash with Wilson this year due to Dart’s potential as the next franchise quarterback, it’s hard to say Wilson has completely lost his magic as a starter. While he hasn’t won a playoff game since the 2019 season, he has still made the postseason in nine of his 14 years in the league, appeared in two Super Bowls, and won one in just his second season.
With people seeming to doubt Wilson entering his first season with the G-Men, the veteran signal-caller will just have to prove those doubters wrong this year and prove that he still has that magic touch. If not, it could be another long season for Giants fans.