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Russell Wilson agrees to massive contract extension

On3 imageby:Ethan McDowell•09/01/22•

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Former NC State quarterback Russell Wilson (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

Heading into his eleventh season in the NFL, former NC State star Russell Wilson has a new contract. The Super Bowl champion quarterback agreed to a five year, $245 million contract extension with the Denver Broncos, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

This deal makes Wilson one of the highest-paid signal callers in the NFL, and he signs the deal a little more than a week before he takes the field with Denver for the first time. 

“This was five months of negotiations that started around the time of the league meeting, all quiet,” Rapoport wrote in another Tweet. “Now, a deal.”

According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, this deal gives Wilson a significant raise in 2022.

“Russell Wilson’s new contract gives him a $33 million raise in 2022, from $24M to $57M,” Pelissero wrote in a tweet. “He gets $85M total over two years (up from $51M he had left on his old deal) and $124M over three, while Denver locks up another four non-guaranteed years on top of it.”

The quarterback has been a star in the NFL ever since his rookie season, making the pro bowl 9 of his 10 years in the league and throwing for 37,059 yards and 292 touchdowns during his career. Wilson led the Seahawks to an authoritative 43-8 Super Bowl win in 2014 over the Broncos, the team he will suit up for this fall. 

Wilson started his collegiate career at NC State in 2007, putting up impressive numbers and becoming the first freshman to garner All-ACC first-team honors in 2008. After the 2010 season, he transferred to Wisconsin and spent a season with the Badgers. 

During his commencement address to NC State’s class of 2021 in May last year, Wilson discussed his time as a member of the Wolfpack. 

“I hope you know how lucky you are to graduate from such a special school,” Wilson said. “And if you can’t believe your time here at NC State is over so soon, well, trust me, I know exactly how you feel.”

He also mentioned his relationship with NC State’s director of student-athlete welfare DD Hoggard during the address.

“I didn’t want to leave,” Wilson said. “This place meant a lot to me. It was a really tough time. So, one day, I go see DD in his office, just to talk about everything going on. I poured my whole heart out, had tears in my eyes.

“I never forget, DD. You looked right at me, and you said, ‘The one thing I know, the one thing that I will always know, is that I believe in Russell Wilson.’ Every Sunday morning since, to this day, before I step out onto the field, I still get a text from DD Hoggard, ‘I believe in Russell Wilson.’”

Wilson wore No. 16 at NC State and, now, whenever a member of the Pack puts that Jersey on, it has a patch on it recognizing what Wilson contributed to the program. 

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