Russell Wilson was one of the better NFL quarterbacks for a decade during his Seattle Seahawks career. While he has yet to reach that same level of performance after being traded to the Denver Broncos, Wilson still makes a large salary.
How Much Is Russell Wilson’s Salary?
Wilson signed a five-year, $242.6 million deal with the Broncos, with $124 million guaranteed at signing.
In 2023, Wilson will be earning $28 million and inflicting a cap hit of $22 million (per Over the Cap). While the cap hit is the sixth most at the position this season, the total average annual value (AAV) of the deal ranks fifth.
According to CelebrityNetWorth.com, Wilson’s current net worth is roughly $165 million. The Broncos’ QB has earned most of his fortune from his NFL contracts and various endorsement deals.
Russell earned his massive contract through his previous success in the NFL.
Wilson was a dual-sport athlete growing up and during his college career. He was known as a good baseball player and was drafted into the MLB.
However, Wilson passed up a potential career in the majors to pursue his dream of playing QB at the NFL level. He found success during his collegiate career at NC State and Wisconsin.
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Wilson finished his college career by leading the Badgers to the Big Ten title and the 2012 Rose Bowl. The Seahawks chose him No. 75 overall in the 2012 NFL Draft.
Wilson was immediately successful in the NFL. He was the starting QB for the Seahawks during his rookie season, in which he tied Peyton Manning’s record for most TD passes by a rookie. Wilson’s first season in the NFL brought several honors, including the Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year.
Wilson then began a stretch of nine Pro Bowl honors with remarkable consistency. Seattle capped off its remarkable run with two trips to the Super Bowl, including the franchise’s only title.
On March 8, 2022, the Seahawks and Broncos agreed on a blockbuster trade. Seattle traded Wilson away for a significant draft package from Denver, with the hopes that both teams involved could get a fresh start with the move.
In the trade, the Broncos received Wilson and DL Eyioma Uwazurike (2022 fourth-round pick). The Seahawks, meanwhile, received quarterback Drew Lock, TE Noah Fant, DL Shelby Harris, and a plethora of picks.
2022 was a disappointing season for Wilson and he was sacked more than any other quarterback and only threw for 16 touchdowns with 11 interceptions. In his debut year with the Broncos, head coach Nathaniel Hackett was fired after just 15 games.
In February 2023, Sean Payton was officially introduced as Denver Broncos head coach, and Wilson’s season got off to another rough start which included a humiliating 70-20 loss against the Miami Dolphins on Sept. 24.
But, things have started to turn around in Denver as Wilson has started to look a bit more like his old self and led the team on a five-game win streak which included wins over the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills.
After starting 1-5, the Broncos are now 7-6 and are looking to be contenders in the AFC playoff picture. The team faces the 9-4 Detroit Lions on Saturday night in a tough matchup as they look to increase their playoff chances.
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