Benched By Giants, Is This Russell Wilson’s Last Stand? ‘He’s a Backup.’

Eric Williams

NFL Reporter

The inevitable end to Russell Wilson’s tenure as the New York Giants‘ starting quarterback finally occurred on Tuesday. Wilson will reportedly be benched in favor of rookie Jaxson Dart after a forgettable performance in a 22-9 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 3.

At one point early in his 10-year stint with the Seattle Seahawks, Wilson seemed on a Hall of Fame trajectory. However, he was benched for a second time in three years and is on his fourth team in five seasons.

As Wilson turns 37 at the end of November, it’s clear the sun is setting on his NFL career.

“He’s a backup,” one former teammate of Wilson’s told me.

“Our team was so good on defense and special teams, along with a run game to wear down the other team,” another former teammate of Wilson’s told me. “All he had to do is just don’t turn the ball over. I do think he’s still phenomenal in the two-minute drill, though.”

Wilson’s arguably one of the most accomplished quarterbacks in league history, ranking 15th all-time in passing yards, 12th in passing touchdowns and fifth in passer rating. However, since the 10-time Pro Bowler left Seattle in a blockbuster trade to the Denver Broncos during the 2022 offseason, Wilson’s career has been on a downward trajectory.

Wilson has averaged 224 passing yards per game to go with 61 touchdown passes, 27 interceptions, a 91.1 passer rating, 20 rushing yards per game and eight rushing touchdowns since he’s left Seattle. Most importantly, Wilson has a 17-27 record as a starting quarterback between his stops with the Broncos, Steelers and Giants, reaching the playoffs once. Those numbers are all down from his days in Seattle (234.6 passing yards per game, 292 passing touchdowns, 87 interceptions, 101.5 passer rating, 104-53 record), where he helped the Seahawks win four division titles and helped them become a perennial contender.

So, is it time for Wilson to retire? The reaction was mixed, according to sources I spoke with around the league.

“He probably isn’t done as much as people are done giving him a chance to be their starter,” one league source told me.

Another person wondered how much Wilson would embrace the role of a backup in New York behind Dart.

“Thought he was done years ago,” a national NFL scout told me. “He can only be in an offense that takes advantage of his diminishing strengths. Mobile, undersized quarterbacks do not age well in the NFL.

“His ego won’t let him be a mentor-type backup either. Dart is a rising young and talented quarterback, so the situation fits the decision.”

Another NFL personnel executive believes a market could develop for Wilson via trade, but it would require patience from the Giants. Wilson signed a one-year, $10.5 million contract this offseason to serve as the bridge quarterback until Dart was ready to play. The Giants also have Jameis Winston on the roster as a potential backup to Dart if they move on from Wilson.

“I’m sure the Giants would love to trade the contract and would do it for nothing,” the personnel executive told me. “I think New Orleans, Cincinnati or wait for another injury (makes sense). No rush on New York’s part.

“I bet they keep him at backup for a few weeks until they see what the market is and want to keep him as engaged as they can.”

The Giants are facing some of the top defenses in the league over the next four games as they go up against the Chargers, Saints, Eagles and Broncos. Because of that, the personnel wondered if starting Dart now was the right time to put the rookie in the fire.

“It could be a nightmare scenario for New York,” the personnel executive said. “They had hope with the rookie, with his preseason flashes, but this is real football now. If this goes bad for them, it could get really ugly.”

Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on X at @eric_d_williams.

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