The New York media spotlight is bright enough as it is, but almost immediately after signing with the Giants in March, quarterback Russell Wilson became the subject of scrutiny that’s notable even for New York.
The Giants signed fellow veteran QB Jameis Winston a few days earlier, and then drafted Jaxson Dart in the first round the following month. All of them joined fan favorite and New Jersey native Tommy DeVito in the Giants’ quarterback room.
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Yet even with the Giants coming off a meager 3-14 performance in 2024, Wilson himself coming off of career lows in completions (214), yards (2,482), and games played (11) with the Pittsburgh Steelers last year, and Dart starring in the team’s first two preseason games, Wilson isn’t shying away from the pressure of being the Giants’ starting quarterback.
In fact, he embraces it.
“It’s the best honor in the world to be able to lead a group of men like this,” Wilson said in a press conference earlier this month. “… I’m truly grateful to be a New York Giant.”
"It's the best honor in the world to be able to lead a group of men like this…I'm truly grateful to be a New York Giant"
Russell Wilson talks about the atmosphere at camp pic.twitter.com/yJilIzYcmZ
— Giants Videos (@SNYGiants) August 6, 2025
The 36-year-old Wilson — a 10-time Pro-Bowler — is best known for his incredible 10-year run with the Seattle Seahawks from 2012 to 2021. He had his best seasons there, making nine of his 10 Pro Bowls and directing the Seahawks to a victory in Super Bowl XLVIII. He led the league in passer rating in 2015 and touchdown passes in 2017, and he didn’t miss a game or a start until his final season in Seattle. The 2021 season was also the first in which a Russell Wilson-led Seahawks team finished with a losing record.
Things haven’t been as smooth for Wilson on the field since then, as he was traded to the Denver Broncos in March 2022. That fall, he threw 11 interceptions with only 16 touchdowns and a career-low 60.5% completion percentage while the team went 4-11 with him as the starter.
Wilson performed better for Denver in 2023, but the team still missed the playoffs as he was benched and eventually released. Shortly afterward, he signed a one-year contract with Pittsburgh for the veteran minimum and made his 10th Pro Bowl there.
Still, questions have swirled about Wilson’s locker room presence and ability to perform at the level he did in Seattle, but it’s not something that concerns the veteran QB.
“I’ve just never been worried about what other people think,” he told reporters last August. “I think ultimately I focus on, as I mentioned to you guys — obviously my faith means everything to me.”
Wilson has spoken openly about his faith in Christ since he entered the NFL as a third-round draft pick out of Wisconsin in 2012. He not only brings respected veteran leadership and a Super Bowl pedigree to a team that’s only made one playoff appearance in the last eight seasons, he also brings a positivity that stems from his faith.
“Winning is a habit, and we want to create winning habits not just on Sundays or Saturdays like today, but it’s the process of winning that you have to enjoy,” he said after the Giants’ first preseason win against the Bills. “And I think when you love practice and you love it and you compete at as high of a level as we do every day and get after every day, it makes the games that much more simple.”
In addition to his on-field accolades, Wilson was the 2020 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year and 2022 recipient of the Bart Starr Award, which honors “the NFL player who best exemplifies outstanding character and leadership in the home, on the field, and in the community” according to its website. It’s an NFL-sanctioned award presented annually at a breakfast put on by the sports ministry Athletes in Action.
“I just firmly believe that it’s God’s gift — ‘To whom much is given, much is required‘ — for us to be able to give back and serve,” he told Essence in April 2024. “… I think [faith] keeps you grounded. It keeps you connected to who God is, and what He’s already done, and what He’s about to do for you.
“It’s knowing there’s always a bigger purpose in life. That’s really important. It inspires me to be the best version of me, so I can inspire somebody else.”
Wilson also frequently utilizes social media to inspire others by spreading the love of Christ.
“I will say about the Lord, “He is my place of safety. He is like a fort to me. He is my God. I trust in him.””
Psalm 91:2— Russell Wilson (@DangeRussWilson) August 18, 2025
Falling in Love with Jesus
was the best thing I’ve ever done!— Russell Wilson (@DangeRussWilson) August 9, 2025
View this post on Instagram
View this post on Instagram
“I want to speak life into anybody who may not know who Jesus is at this moment,” Wilson said while accepting the Bart Starr Award in 2022. “He knows you and He loves you, and He’s wildly obsessed with you. … He’s a God of miracles. He’s a God of healing. He’s a God of forgiveness. He’s a God of love. He meets you right where you are and honestly, He’s already ahead of you.”
With the start of the Giants’ regular season just 18 days away, Wilson is embracing the bright lights of New York, because with the pressure to perform also comes the opportunity to share the Good News of the Gospel.
The Giants have one more preseason game — at home against the New England Patriots (2-0) — on Thursday at 8 p.m. ET. They begin the regular season with a road matchup against the Washington Commanders on Sept. 7 at 1 p.m. ET.
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