The Seahawks traded quarterback Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos, parting ways with the most accomplished quarterback in team history.
The Russell Wilson era in Seattle is over after a decade that saw him establish himself as one of the greatest players in franchise history.
Wilson, a nine-time Pro-Bowler in 10 seasons as the Seahawks quarterback, joins the Denver Broncos in a trade that became official Wednesday with the start of the new league year.
The blockbuster deal sends from Denver to Seattle two first-round picks, No. 9 overall this year and a 2023 first-rounder; two second-round picks, No. 40 overall pick this year and a 2023 second-rounder, this year’s fifth-round pick, tight end Noah Fant, quarterback Drew Lock and defensive end Shelby Harris. In addition to Wilson, the Seahawks will send a 2022 fourth-round pick to Denver.
Wilson has no plans to slow down, as he said he wanted to play 10 to 12 more years and win three or four more Super Bowls.
“That’s the plan,” Wilson said. “That’s the mindset. That’s why I came here, to hopefully be able to finish my career here and to finish on top as a champion and do it multiple times. That’s my mindset.”
Wilson said he wouldn’t have waived his no-trade clause from Seattle unless he was headed to a winner, and the Broncos fit that bill. As he studied the team’s film — he’s watched all 17 regular-season games and all three preseason games, multiple times — he saw the characteristics of a winner. That wasn’t just talk, either, as Wilson identified specific plays from the previous season for a handful of his new teammates.
RUSSELL WILSON BIOGRAPHY
Russell Carrington Wilson (born November 29, 1988) is an American football quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). Wilson initially played college football and baseball at NC State from 2008 to 2010 before transferring to Wisconsin in 2011, in which he set the single-season FBS record for passing efficiency (191.8) and led them to a Big Ten title and the 2012 Rose Bowl. He also played minor league baseball for the Tri-City Dust Devils in 2010 and the Asheville Tourists in 2011 as a second baseman, and as of 2019 his professional baseball rights are held by the Somerset Patriots, the Double-A affiliate of the New York Yankees.
He was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the third round (75th overall) of the 2012 NFL Draft. After beating out Matt Flynn for the starting job during training camp, Wilson ended up having a successful debut season, tying Peyton Manning‘s then-record for most passing touchdowns by a rookie (26) and was named Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year.
Wilson has been named to nine Pro Bowls and helped lead the Seahawks to two consecutive Super Bowls, winning Super Bowl XLVIII over the Denver Broncos. He holds the record for most wins by an NFL quarterback through nine seasons (98) 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 widely regarded as one of the greatest dual-threat quarterbacks in NFL history.
Wilson is part owner of the Seattle Sounders of Major League Soccer (MLS). After he purchased his minority stake, the Sounders won the 2019 MLS Cup.
