Russell Wilson has confirmed his next move after retiring from the NFL after 14 seasons on June 3.
The quarterback, who spent 10 seasons with the Seattle Seahawks, announced that he will join CBS Sports as an analyst for The NFL Today while confirming his retirement in a video montage of his career on Instagram.
“As I enter this next chapter with CBS Sports and the NFL today, I’m so blessed to continue doing what I love most, being around the greatest game in the world,” the 37-year-old said as he narrated the video.
Russell will reportedly replace Matt Ryan on the broadcast panel after the former quarterback left the network to return to the Atlanta Falcons as the team’s president of football.
He will join James Brown, Nate Burleson, and Bill Cowher on CBS Sports’ Sunday pregame show for the upcoming football season, which kicks off in September.
The Super Bowl champion alluded to his TV role after a visit to the New York Jets last month, who offered him the backup quarterback position for starting QB Geno Smith.
“It was great,” he told The New York Post after the visit on May 6. “They offered me, and I’m trying to figure out what the next best thing is for me to do. I still know I can play ball at a high level, but I also have the opportunity to do TV, so we’ll see what happens.”
He added: “There’s a lot of great networks and obviously it’s a great opportunity for me. We’ll see what happens. You know, I’m excited. I just love football. I love ball, being in it in every way, staying ready to play, too.”
Retirement
After Russell announced his retirement, he wrote on X. “Thank you, Football. You’ve been my joy, peace, my safe place. You taught me discipline, faith and resilience, how to keep believing no matter the circumstances.
“You’ve given me purpose and opportunity—opportunity to inspire others and create change, to continue to evolve the game, not just for me, but for the next generation of ballers. You’ve also given me the greatest gift of all: family.”
In his video montage on Instagram, he added: “To every coach who believed in me, you helped shape me into the man I am today. To Coach [Pete] Carroll, thanks for taking a chance on the young 5-foot-11 black kid from Richmond, Virginia that was told he was too small to ever make it in the NFL.
© Getty Images“We knew what winning was like. And to every teammate I’ve had the privilege of sharing the locker room with, thank you for the sacrifices, the brotherhood, the memories.
“To every fan who supported me, through the highs and the lows, your belief, your energy, and your passion meant more than you’ll ever know.”
He also thanked his family and his wife, Ciara, with whom he shares Sienna, nine, Win, five, and Amora, two, and is stepdad to Future Zahir, 11, who Ciara shares with ex Future.
© Getty Images“And I thank you, C. I thank you, Ciara, for being my greatest blessing, my best friend, and my partner through it all. None of this journey called life would have been the same without you. I thank you, football. I thank you, I thank you, I thank you. I am forever grateful. Love, 3.”
Ciara responded in the comments, writing: “The best in the world! There’s only one, 3! Always so proud of you! It’s a true blessing to go on this journey with you! My greatest inspiration! I love you so much!”
Read the full article here
