After 14 incredible years on the field, quarterback Russell Wilson is officially hanging up his cleats. The news of his retirement brought a wave of love on Instagram across the league.

Even his former rival, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, conveyed his appreciation. And Wilson made sure to reply to the three-time Super Bowl champion, writing,

“@patrickmahomes thanks 15. Love we got to share the field together! 🏆 Keep being an inspiration to the kids!” 

These two quarterbacks have a great history of playing against each other. They faced off four times in the regular season, back when Wilson was under center for the Seahawks and the Broncos, delivering some memorable battles, as per Victor Galvez of the Big Lead.

Wilson is now heading straight to join CBS Sports as a "Sunday Pregame show analyst" on The NFL Today, as per Yahoo Sports.

After playing college ball for NC State and Wisconsin, Seattle took a chance on him in the third round of the 2012 draft. He got the starting job, spending 10 seasons with the Seahawks and bringing the franchise its very first Super Bowl title, in the 2013 season.

The final stretch of his career turned into a bit of a journey, with stints playing for the Broncos, the Steelers, and finally the Giants, where he eventually passed the torch to rookie Jaxson Dart. 

During Wilson's tenure, he has appeared in 205 games. He completed 3,951 of 6,120 passes for 46,966 passing yards, 353 touchdowns, and 114 interceptions. He also rushed for 5,568 yards and 31 touchdowns.

That production made him a 10-time Pro Bowler, a two-time NFC champ, the 2012 Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year, and a 2013 Super Bowl champion, among several other honors.

How Did Russell Wilson Decide To Join CBS

Rather than extending his NFL career, Wilson decided it was time for a new challenge. The veteran QB chose CBS Sports, rather than signing with the New York Jets. He shared his excitement on social media.

“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,” he said.

Wilson also thanked his former Seahawks coach, Pete Carroll, for taking a chance on a "young, 5-11 kid from Richmond, Virginia" who was told he was too small for the NFL. 

That gamble paid off, as Heavy.com reports,  Wilson made history as the shortest quarterback ever to win a Super Bowl. However, his move to TV doesn’t seem very sudden. 

USA Today’s Chris Bumbaca noted that Wilson has long prepared for TV, even guest-analyzing for CBS last season during the bye week. 

What are your thoughts on the retirement of Russell Wilson? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Aaindri Thakuri

Edited by

Rudra Dubey