Wisconsin football legend Russell Wilson was picked as the New York Giants’ biggest bust for the 2025 NFL season earlier this month.
Specifically, Wilson was the Giants’ selection in an article from Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox that picked one potential bust for all 32 NFL teams. After the Giants filled their quarterback room with Wilson, veteran Jameis Winston and first-round rookie Jaxson Dart this offseason, Knox doesn’t see the Wisconsin legend emerging as the team’s answer at the position.
“There didn’t seem to be a lot of interest in Wilson this offseason, which is unsurprising after he faded down the stretch with the Pittsburgh Steelers,” Knox wrote. “It felt like the Giants were bidding against themselves to land the 36-year-old, and they’re unlikely to get a strong return on investment…If Wilson even wins the starting job out of training camp, don’t expect him to make New York a playoff contender or make fans forget that Dart is waiting in the wings.”
Wilson signed a one-year, $10.5 million contract with the Giants in March after an up-and-down 2024 season with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Despite closing the campaign with his 10th Pro Bowl selection, the former Badger went just 6-5 in 11 games as a starter, throwing for 2,482 yards, 16 touchdowns and five interceptions. Knox’s description of Wilson ‘fading down the stretch’ is accurate. After he won six of his first seven starts from Week 7 to 13, he and the Steelers cratered to close the year, losing four straight regular-season games and their playoff matchup against Baltimore. Wilson threw for just 174.5 yards per game, four total touchdowns and two interceptions in those final four regular-season contests.
New York will be Wilson’s fourth NFL team after 10 fantastic seasons in Seattle (2012-21), two disappointing years in Denver (2022-23) and one in Pittsburgh (2024). While he has the inside track at starting under center for the Giants in their Week 1 game against the Washington Commanders, it’s tough to see 2025 becoming a turn-back-the-clock year for the Wisconsin legend.
Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion