NFL
Russell Wilson Has Made Enough Money in the NFL to Buy Part of a Soccer Team
Joe Kozlowski began his career as a sports journalist in 2013 and joined Sportscasting in 2019. He covers the NBA and soccer for Sportscasting, with specialties in legacy NBA players such as Michael Jordan and Premier League club Arsenal. Off the clock, he's a Kansas City Chiefs fan and a hockey goalie. Growing up loving Shaquille O'Neal and reading everything he could about the great big men throughout NBA history — likely because he was still tall enough, at least relative to his peers, to play center — he's continued to love learning about and exploring the historical and story-based sides of the basketball archives. As for Arsenal, Joe spent a year living in London and latched onto the local support of the club. He's barely missed a match since, loving Arsene Wenger, enduring the Banter Era, and following along through rebuilds. The Premier League interest developed into a passionate following of the Champions League, Europe's big five league, and international soccer as a whole when played at the highest level. Regardless of the sport, Joe is captivated by the stories of athletes beyond the box scores and how they push the envelope — both in terms of what we think a human is capable of accomplishing and how they find new competitive tactics to win.
Get to know Joe Kozlowski betterPublished01 Nov 2020
Even if he hasn’t earned a single MVP vote just yet, it’s impossible to argue with Russell Wilson’s NFL resume. During his time in Seattle, the Seahawks quarterback has seen and done almost everything; he’s won a Super Bowl championship, a Rookie of the Year title, and established himself as one of the top quarterbacks in the modern game. All of that has, unsurprisingly, come with plenty of financial rewards, too.
Russell Wilson’s athletic endeavors, however, aren’t limited to American football. The quarterback has also used his financial might to buy part of a professional soccer team.
Russell Wilson has become one of the NFL’s top quarterbacks
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In the modern NFL, there are two main groups of quarterbacks making headlines: the holdovers from the old guard, like Tom Brady and Drew Brees, and the young stars, like Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes. While Russell Wilson falls in between those two groups, he shouldn’t get lost in the shuffle.
During college, though, it wasn’t clear if Wilson would ever make it to the NFL; he also had enough talent to go pro as a baseball player. He decided to focus on football, though, setting the stage for everything that’s happened since.
Wilson eventually entered the 2012 NFL draft and, despite some concerns over his size, joined the Seattle Seahawks as the 75th-overall pick. Although the club had recently acquired Matt Flynn, the rookie wasn’t deterred; he won the quarterback competition and, when the regular season began, had claimed the top spot on the depth chart.
Since then, the rest is history. Wilson has thrown for more than 31,000 yards, completed almost 250 touchdown passes; he’s also won a Super Bowl title and, if not for a questionable play call, could have a second championship under his belt. Even without a single NFL MVP vote, the Seahawks quarterback is undeniably one of the top talents in professional football.
Building up a massive net worth
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As everyone knows, the top professional athletes can command massive salaries. Russell Wilson, unsurprisingly, is no exception to that rule.
In April 2019, the Seahawks quarterback signed a massive, $140 million contract extension, making him the highest-paid player in professional football; Patrick Mahomes, of course, has since claimed the top spot. According to Spotrac’s financial numbers, Wilson has earned more than $162 million in salary to date. By the time his current contract expires, his earnings will have eclipsed $231 million.
As you’d assume from that sizable salary, Russell Wilson also has an impressive overall fortune. According to CelebrityNetWorth’s estimates, the quarterback is worth somewhere in the neighborhood of $135 million.
Russell Wilson has used that wealth to become a part-owner of the Seattle Sounders
RELATED: Russell Wilson Wasn’t Allowed to Buy This Until After His First Big Seahawks Contract
During his time in Seattle, Russell Wilson has made a major impact on the city’s sporting scene. His influence isn’t limited to playing for the Seahawks, though.
In August 2019, Wilson and his wife, Ciara, became part-owners of the MLS’ Seattle Sounders; they joined Macklemore, former Microsoft executive Terry Myerson, and others as part of what the team calls the New Sounders FC Partners. Adrian Hanauer still serves as the team’s majority owner, with Jody Allen, Drew Carey, Peter Tomozawa, Tod and Tara Leiweke, and the New Sounders FC Partners making up the rest of the ownership group.
In the past, Russell Wilson has spoken about a desire to break into NFL ownership. While owning a piece of an MLS franchise might not compare to professional football’s a step toward that ultimate goal.
Stats courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference
