As the 2026 offseason begins, Russell Wilson is firmly at the “he is who we thought he was” stage of his 14-year career. He's no longer Mr. Unlimited, throwing moonshots to Tyler Lockett and Doug Baldwin in the Pacific Northwest. Those days are long gone, and no one knows that more than Giants fans.
But that doesn't stop him from tricking some lowly teams into believing there’s still something left in the tank when there clearly isn’t... cough New York Giants, cough. The G-Men quickly learned the honey wasn't worth the bees after the Pittsburgh Steelers and Denver Broncos suffered similar fates.
Literally, the writing was on the wall after his first start. Giants fans wanted nothing to do with the DangeRuss experience from day dot.
It might take the ad campaign of a lifetime, but if anyone is still buying in, it’s the 37-year-old quarterback who’s now eyeing a fourth team in four years.
On Super Bowl Sunday, The Insiders ran through updates on Daniel Jones and Trey Hendrickson before NFL.com columnist Judy Battista dropped a far less thrilling note about the Russ Bus gearing up for at least one more season in 2026:
"Russell Wilson is going to be a free agent again this offseason, and he wants to continue playing, despite spending most of last season as the Giants' third-string quarterback. ... At 37, opportunities to be a long-term starter are probably not going to be too plentiful for Russell Wilson -- maybe as a bridge QB, as we saw last season, there is a big need around the league for a high-level backup play. Russell Wilson told us at the end of the season he was focusing mentally and physically on getting ready for what's ahead, and he said, 'I have great confidence.'"
Sounds like someone can't read the room.
Giants fans clocked the Russell Wilson reality almost immediately
If you didn't get a chance to watch Wilson play last year, no one could blame you. The guy only lasted three games before getting benched for rookie QB Jaxson Dart.
The last image of Russ in Giants blue will be his complete mental breakdown against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs at home on primetime. With under four minutes left and down by 13, here is how he ultimately sealed the loss (this four-play series started at the four-yard line):
- First play: Intentional grounding penalty for throwing the ball through the back of the endzone to avoid a sack
- Second play: Chooses to run a quarterback draw, gaining four yards
- Third play: Russ throws another moonball through the back of the endzone
- Fourth (and final) play: Doesn't let his receivers make a play, and throws the ball into the uprights
Since then, it's been some backup duty and media appearances.
It's hard to tell what Wilson is trying to prove anymore. Once considered a mortal lock for the Hall of Fame, there's a good chance if he continues playing, he'll play himself out of consideration entirely. In his blink-and-you'll-miss-it three career games with the G-Men, he completed 58 percent of his passes for 3 touchdowns, 3 interceptions, and 831 yards.
High-level backups are in high demand, but I'm wondering where Wilson fits into that conversation anymore. He's never been an over-the-middle passer, and with his deep balls not performing as well as they used to, and his diminished athleticism taking a toll on his running game, his time in the NFL is coming to an end sooner rather than later.
Big Blue Nation knows it. The league seems to know it. The only one still chasing a different reality appears to be Wilson.