Russell Wilson Wants to Surpass Tom Brady’s Goal of Playing Until Age 45
Tom Brady has said he hoped he could play in the NFL until he’s 45. Russell Wilson went a little further. The Seattle Seahawks quarterback said he feels like he’s entering his prime right now at age 31 and said he would love to play another 15 years.
Wilson’s rise to stardom
Russell Wilson was a two-sport athlete at North Carolina State, playing football and baseball. From 2008-2010, Wilson played for the Wolfpack, but transferred to the University of Wisconsin for his final year of eligibility. At Wisconsin, Wilson threw 33 touchdown passes and had just four interceptions. Wilson also scored six rushing touchdowns and racking up 338 yards on the ground.
Wilson was drafted in the third round by the Seattle Seahawks in the 2012 NFL draft. He took over as the starting quarterback right away, playing and starting in all 16 games his rookie season. He threw for 3,118 yards and 26 touchdown passes. Wilson made the first of his six Pro Bowls in his rookie season.
Wilson has never missed a game in his pro career. He’s also never had a losing season. His career record (regular season) with the Seahawks is 86-41-1. He’s thrown 227 touchdowns against 68 interceptions. Wilson also has 3,993 rushing yards and 19 rushing touchdowns in his career.
Russell Wilson shows no signs of slowing down
Russell Wilson has been everything the Seattle Seahawks wanted and more. He’s a leader, he’s durable, and he’s a winner. Wilson’s loaded with weapons and he’s ready to begin his ninth season in the NFL. He’s ranked No. 2 on the NFL Network’s Top 100 Players of 2020.
“I think I’m definitely in the zone, and also too, from a play standpoint, every game I want to put on a performance,” Wilson said to Seahawks.com last week. “Every play, every practice, I want to be great. I wake up thinking about being great today, it doesn’t leave your mind. Everything I do is purposeful. There’s no wasted moments, no wasted energy.”
Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said the hard work Wilson puts in is definitely paying off. “He worked his tail off and he had a great offseason,” Carroll said. “He was so disciplined about it. The effect that he has on other players is really obvious, because he threw with a lot of guys over the course of time, got together with a bunch of guys. You can just see the carryover—they’re already talking our language. The work he has done with Greg Olsen and DK (Metcalf) in particular, and Phillip Dorsett, we’re rolling.”
Wilson wants to play another 15 years
Russell Wilson is 31 years old. For many quarterbacks, that’s the beginning of the end. For Wilson, it’s just the beginning. He feels like there is so much more left in the tank.
“I just turned 31,” Wilson said to Sports Illustrated. “I’m right at the beginning of my prime and I have so many more years left. At least 10-plus years left. I’m just getting started. That’s the fun part for me. My goal is to play another 15 years.”
For a mobile quarterback like Wilson, playing at age 46 could be difficult. Doubting Russell Wilson might even be tougher.
