Russell Wilson is being considered for a backup quarterback role with the New York Jets as he aims to continue his NFL career in 2026. The Jets hosted Wilson for a visit, but no contract is currently in place.
Key points
Russell Wilson is considering a backup role with the Jets
He visited the Jets' facility on April 27
Wilson played for the Giants in the 2025 season
Geno Smith is the Jets' starting quarterback for 2026
Smith advocated for Wilson's consideration as a backup
Mentioned in this story
Russell WilsonGeno SmithJaxson Dart
New York JetsNew York GiantsSeattle SeahawksDenver Broncos
Russell Wilson is hoping to continue playing during the 2026 NFL season. Could he find that opportunity with the New York Jets?
Wilson is "being considered" for a backup role with the Jets, ESPN's Rich Cimini reports. The Jets hosted the 37-year-old quarterback on a visit to their facility on April 27, but "no contract is imminent" between the two parties.
Wilson is a 14-year NFL veteran who spent the 2025 season with the New York Giants. He opened the season as the Giants' starting quarterback but was benched in favor of Jaxson Dart after posting an 0-3 record, finishing the season completing 58% of his passes for 831 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions.
Wilson has largely operated as a starter across his time with the Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos, Pittsburgh Steelers and Giants. The only time he failed to start a Week 1 game for his team was in 2024, when he missed the first six weeks of the Steelers' season while dealing with a calf injury.
However, Wilson is being evaluated for the backup role with the Jets, who have committed to 35-year-old Geno Smith as their starter for 2026. Cimini reports that Smith "advocated for Wilson when team officials solicited his input on potential backups," as the duo have a strong relationship from their two seasons together with the Seahawks in 2020 and 2021.
Here's more to know about the Jets' quarterback situation as they evaluate Wilson for a potential role with the team.
Q&A
Is Russell Wilson joining the New York Jets as a backup quarterback?
Russell Wilson is being considered for a backup role with the New York Jets, but no contract has been finalized.
What was Russell Wilson's performance in the 2025 NFL season?
In the 2025 season, Wilson started for the New York Giants but was benched after an 0-3 record, completing 58% of his passes for 831 yards, three touchdowns, and three interceptions.
Who is the starting quarterback for the Jets in 2026?
The New York Jets have committed to Geno Smith as their starting quarterback for the 2026 season.
What is Russell Wilson's NFL experience and history?
Russell Wilson is a 14-year NFL veteran who has played for the Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos, Pittsburgh Steelers, and New York Giants.
Related Articles
Sports
Red Sox Promoting Nate Eaton Leaves Major Question Unanswered
Red Sox are promoting Nate Eaton, but who will be removed from the roster?
Yahoo Sports··1 min read
Sports·Feature
Commonwealth Games unveils 'inclusive' medals inspired by Glasgow
The Commonwealth Games in Glasgow will feature inclusive medals designed by Militsa Milenkova, incorporating braille and tactile elements. A total of 215 gold medals will be awarded across 10 sports and six Para sports from July 23 to August 2.
Yahoo Sports··1 min read
Sports
Jake Paul doubts Dana White feels threatened by MVP MMA: 'He's checked out'
Jake Paul believes Dana White isn't threatened by MVP MMA's debut.
Yahoo Sports··1 min read
Sports
Presunto acoso en las secciones inferiores del Torrelavega: insultos homófobos, machistas y gordófobos
Familiares denuncian acoso en el Torrelavega con insultos homófobos y machistas.
Marca··1 min read
Sports
Metro Detroit high school lacrosse notebook: Grosse Pointe South girls off to hot start
Grosse Pointe South girls lacrosse team boasts a strong 12-4 record and top 10 ranking!
Yahoo Sports··1 min read
NFL·Feature
Heath Miller talks favorite Steelers memories, NFL Draft in Pittsburgh
Heath Miller shares favorite Steelers memories and discusses NFL Draft in Pittsburgh.
Smith is the only member of the group with extensive starting experience. He has posted a 42-56 record across 98 NFL starts while the remainder of the group has combined to start 13 games.
The Jets selected Klubnik in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. The Clemson product – who has good arm talent and mobility – will be the team's top developmental quarterback and potential successor for Smith, but New York may not want the rookie to be its top backup during his first NFL season.
Meanwhile, Cook and Zappe are more bottom-roster or practice squad candidates. Cook, a 2025 undrafted free agent, struggled across four winless starts with the Jets last season, completing just 57.5% of his passes for 739 yards, two touchdowns and seven interceptions.
Zappe's numbers are marginally better than Cook. The 2022 fourth-round pick from Western Kentucky has a 4-5 career record and has completed 62.1% of his passes for 2,223 yards, 12 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.
All that's to say that the Jets' interest in Wilson is sensible. They could use an experienced backup to provide cushion in case Klubnik isn't immediately ready for the No. 2 job.
Russell Wilson stats
Wilson has made 202 starts during his NFL career to date. Below is a look at his performance across those games:
Record: 121-80-1
Completion %: 64.6
Passing yards: 46,966
Passing TDs: 353
INTs: 114
Yards per attempt: 7.7
Passer rating: 99.3
Carrries: 1,042
Rushing yards: 5,568
Rushing TDs: 31
Yards per carry: 5.3
Wilson also has 9-8 record in the NFL playoffs and has completed 61.5% of his passes for 4,056 yards, 27 touchdowns and 12 interceptions across that sample size. He helped lead the Seahawks to a Super Bowl 48 win over the Broncos and has been voted into the Pro Bowl 10 times.
Russell Wilson career earnings
Wilson has earned just over $315.86 million as an NFL player, per Spotrac.com. More than half of that ($181.36 million) came from the Seahawks while another $122.79 million came from the Broncos.
Wilson's career earnings presently rank as the fifth-most among NFL players all-time. Below is a full look at the league's top-five earners:
