On Monday, reports confirmed that 37-year-old quarterback Russell Wilson is finalizing a deal to join CBS Sports as an analyst on “NFL Today”, effectively ending his NFL playing career. The move fills Matt Ryan’s void.
Wilson’s transition to broadcasting marks the close of a remarkable career, despite his last few seasons. The question now is whether he deserves a spot in Canton.
The Good
Wilson was drafted in the third round of the 2012 draft out of Wisconsin. He quickly became one of the league’s most successful quarterbacks as he led the Seattle Seahawks to back-to-back Super Bowls in his first three seasons, capping it with a dominant 43-8 victory in Super Bowl XLVIII over Peyton Manning’s Denver Broncos. He finished his career with 46,966 passing yards, 353 touchdowns and 114 interceptions. Wilson had a record of 121-80-1 (9-8 playoffs).
- Super Bowl Champion (2013)
- NFL Passer Rating Leader (2015)
- NFL Passing Touchdowns Leader (2017)
- Second-Team All-Pro (2019)
- Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year (2020)
- 10 Pro Bowl Selections (2012–2015, 2017–2021, 2024) — tied for fifth-most among quarterbacks in NFL history
- Most wins by a quarterback in his first nine seasons: 98 wins
- First quarterback in NFL history to start his career with nine straight winning seasons
The Bad
Post-Seattle, Wilson’s production dipped quickly during a disastrous two years in Denver and brief stops in Pittsburgh and New York with the Giants. His final seasons featured lower completion percentages, fewer big plays and more benchings. Critics and fans argue that his late-career slide hurts his case. Some point to the Seattle’s success relying heavily on defense (Legion of Boom) and the running game to further discredit Wilson.
The Hall of Fame case
Pro Football Reference’s Hall of Fame Monitor for Wilson currently sits at 94.82 (a score of 100 represents the average modern-day inductee). His Approximate Value ranks historically high among those of elites, joining an exclusive group with 10 Pro Bowls and a Super Bowl win, a group some don’t have (Dan Marino, Warren Moon, Jim Kelly, etc.).
Many analysts and fans view him as a borderline candidate—likely to generate debate in his first few years of eligibility but with a realistic path to induction, similar to how voters have weighed other winners like Eli Manning or Philip Rivers. His peak was great, and his last few seasons shouldn’t erase that.
Yes, he’s a Hall of Famer.