Russell Wilson retires after 14 seasons, joins CBS Sports broadcast team

Russell Wilson ended a 14-season NFL career and moved directly into the television business, choosing CBS Sports over another round of comeback speculation. The 37-year-old confirmed his retirement in a social media video posted Wednesday, June 3, and will join The NFL Today, CBS’s Sunday pregame show, after two days of reports that he was finalizing a deal with the network.

Wilson’s farewell video framed the decision as a transition rather than an exit. It mixed career highlights with footage of him visiting patients at Seattle Children’s Hospital, and Wilson thanked teammates, friends, family, Pete Carroll and football itself. Ciara responded in the comments, calling him “the best in the world.” The message ended the offseason uncertainty around whether Wilson would keep playing in 2026, including reported interest from the New York Jets, and confirmed that his next chapter would begin in studio rather than on another roster.

The move also underscores how quickly star quarterbacks now convert playing relevance into broadcast capital. CBS Sports has been refreshing The NFL Today as the program marks its 50th anniversary, keeping James Brown, Bill Cowher and Nate Burleson while also adding Kyle Long. Wilson had already previewed the role as a guest analyst during Week 14 of the 2025 season, giving CBS an early look at a name that still carries instant recognition from Seattle to Denver, Pittsburgh and New York.

Wilson’s football résumé gives the network a rare combination of pedigree and modern relevance. He entered the league as a third-round pick out of North Carolina State in 2012, won the Seahawks’ starting job as a rookie and led Seattle to 11 wins, a franchise rookie record 3,118 passing yards and 26 touchdowns. He spent 10 seasons with the Seahawks and helped deliver Super Bowl XLVIII before being traded to the Denver Broncos on March 16, 2022. He later played for the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants.

By the time he stopped playing, Wilson had 46,966 passing yards, 353 passing touchdowns and 10 Pro Bowl selections. He also owned a singular statistical marker, the NFL’s only four-season streak with at least 30 touchdown passes and fewer than 15 interceptions. That blend of efficiency, celebrity and recent playing experience is exactly what networks buy when they bring a retired quarterback to the desk, and Wilson’s pivot makes the business case plain: in today’s NFL media economy, the afterlife starts fast.