Latest news with #RussellWilson
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
4 former Steelers poised for huge 2025 seasons including Justin Fields
The Pittsburgh Steelers took a huge risk this offseason by completely gutting out their skill-position players from top to bottom. Quarterbacks Justin Fields and Russell Wilson are both set to start for other teams, running back Najee Harris as well and wide receiver George Pickens now gets to line up with an elite running mate at receiver. Ultimately, how these four players perform in relation to their replacements will go a long way in terms of public perception of the job head coach Mike Tomlin has done. Let's break out the positions these four find themselves in. Quarterback Justin Fields Fields got a raw deal in Pittsburgh. After going 4-2 as a starter in 2024, Tomlin chose to bench Fields in favor of Wilson, which ended any opportunity to re-sign Fields. Now Fields is the new starting quarterback of the New York Jets and has some excellent weapons around him and a coaching staff willing to tailor things around his skills. Quarterback Russell Wilson No one expected Wilson to come in and win a Super Bowl. But after missing the first six games with a calf injury, Wilson returned last season and started off hot. But after going 6-1 in his first seven starts, the wheels fell off and the team crumbled down the stretch. Now, Wilson is set to start but compete with rookie Jaxson Dart to run what is set up to be an explosive Giants passing game. Running back Najee Harris When Harris signed with the Los Angeles Chargers, we immediately felt like this was the best thing that could happen to him. We love Harris as a player and never felt like he was the best fit in Pittsburgh and didn't have the offensive line to help him be successful. Now, even with rookie Omarion Hampton with the Chargers, Harris is in a great spot to be a much more effecient runner, even if he isn't the full-time starter. Wide receiver George Pickens We hated to see the Steelers trade Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys. Even with all his issues, we felt like having DK Metcalf on the team as well as Aaron Rodgers to be the offensive leader would have been great for him. Now, he goes to a near-identical situation with quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb to push his game to the next level. This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Justin Fields, George Pickens, Russell Wilson and George Pickens former Steelers poised for big seasons
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Steelers Behind-The-Scenes Look At 'Aggressive' Trade And Metcalf's View On Rodgers
Steelers Behind-The-Scenes Look At 'Aggressive' Trade And Metcalf's View On Rodgers originally appeared on Athlon Sports. D.K. Metcalf is saying goodbye to the Seattle Seahawks ... And saying hello to Aaron Rodgers. Advertisement he Pittsburgh Steelers have jettisoned Russell Wilson and Justin Fields and Najee Harris and George Pickens, turning over their offense to QB Rodgers (on the wrong side of 40) and Metcalf (who needed a divorce from the Seattle Seahawks). The newly acquired Metcalf - filling in here after Pittsburgh shipped Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys for a 2026 third-round pick - could be part of an upgrade with Rodgers over the 2024 duo of Russell Wilson and Pickens. Whether that's enough to win a playoff game for the first time since 2016, though, is the point. What does Metcalf think the Steelers' new quarterback brings? Advertisement 'Just how cerebral he is and how he views the game,' Metcalf said, via Penn Live's Nick Farabaugh. 'I like the way he views the game from a receiver's standpoint, but also from a quarterback's standpoint. I think I can gain a lot of knowledge just from being around him because he's seen a lot of football. Just trying to soak up as much information as I can.' By the way, Metcalf also suggests that he didn't see Pickens as the problem that some in Pittsburgh do. 'I would've loved to play with George Pickens,' Metcalf said. 'Being here, just to see how he was as a teammate, just to see what I could learn from him. It was a decision the team made and it was out of my hands.' Another decision? Metcalf, who signed an extension here, being sent away by Seattle. Why did they give up on their freakishly massive wideout? Advertisement On the "3 & Out Podcast," Seahawks general manager John Schneider explained. "Pittsburgh (and Steelers general manager Omar Khan), those guys were really aggressive," Schneider said, as shared by Tim Benz of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "It just happened, and again, you can't change the way people think. As much as we love him and want to have him here, when people want to leave, it's difficult to try to convince them to stay. "Once we got back from the combine, we had another real open talk. Then we told him we would concede to his wishes." So this was mostly D.K.'s idea? And he gets a five-year, $150 million contract extension as part of the Steelers trade? Great. Advertisement Now D.K. and Aaron just need to say hello to a playoff win or two. Related: Pittsburgh Steelers' D.K. Metcalf Tagged With 'Worst Contract' Label Related: Aaron Rodgers Reportedly Moved Steelers To Make Cowboys George Pickens Trade This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 23, 2025, where it first appeared.
Newsweek
13 hours ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
NY Giants Insider Reveals Truth Behind Russell Wilson's Offseason
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. The national narrative doesn't support the idea that Russell Wilson could thrive with the New York Giants. Before the veteran gets under center for regular-season football, it's already assumed he'll be holding the clipboard soon enough. Two factors play into that thought. The first being that Wilson hasn't exactly had a handful of strong campaigns as of late. Following a forgettable stint with the Denver Broncos and a small stretch with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Wilson is battling the "washed" narrative as a veteran quarterback. The second factor? Jaxson Dart. Whenever a franchise drafts a new quarterback in the early rounds, it leaves a fan base hungry to see the youngster in action right away. The hype gets fed by strong offseason performances as well. A strong spring for Dart has placed an obstacle in the face of Wilson. Read More: NFL Analyst Makes Massive Jaxson Dart-Russell Wilson Claim One New York Giants insider doesn't want to add fuel to the narrative. In fact, he shifted it. After seeing a good portion of spring practice sessions, Art Stapleton believes that Wilson isn't getting enough credit for what he put on display throughout his first offseason in New York. Russell Wilson #3 of the Pittsburgh Steelers and AFC throws a pass during the 2025 NFL Pro Bowl Skills Showdown on January 30, 2025 at the UCF Campus in Orlando, Florida. Russell Wilson #3 of the Pittsburgh Steelers and AFC throws a pass during the 2025 NFL Pro Bowl Skills Showdown on January 30, 2025 at the UCF Campus in Orlando, Florida."The most impressive Giants offensive player this spring from start to finish based on what I saw and through reporting is not who I thought it would be back in April," Stapleton wrote. "All those being honest should give the same answer: It was Russell Wilson." "I admit it: would have been sooooo easy to just continue with the narrative that Russell Wilson is washed and Giants should move to Jaxson Dart right now as QB1," Stapleton continued. "But if I did that, it'd be so disingenuous." I admit it: would have been sooooo easy to just continue with the narrative that Russell Wilson is washed and Giants should move to Jaxson Dart right now as QB1 ... but if I did that, it'd be so disingenuous. I like everything I have seen from Dart, so that's not it. — Art Stapleton (@art_stapleton) June 24, 2025 That's not to say that the Dart praise is a bunch of manufactured hype to fan the flames in the Wilson buzz. The Giants Insider added that he has liked "everything" seen from Dart this spring. But it seems Wilson's experience, with gas left in the tank, is just simply looking better. If that wasn't the case in OTAs and Minicamp, then the Giants would probably have to feel very worried after investing over $10 million in Wilson for the year. Read More: Jaxson Dart Makes Noteworthy Leap on NY Giants' Depth Chart As the Giants believe they can put up a strong fight in the NFC this season, it made sense for them to get an experienced passer under center, even if it's just for the year. New York just has to remain hopeful that Wilson can silence the noise that the acquisition of Dart brings. Last year, Wilson started 11 games for the Steelers. He completed 64 percent of his passes, throwing for over 2,400 yards, 16 touchdowns, and five interceptions. He went to the Giants, looking forward to playing with one of the most prolific young wideouts in Malik Nabers. Despite the national narrative, it sounds like the Giants are sold on the Wilson-Nabers duo, while Dart learns from the side, for the time being. For more New York Giants and NFL news, head over to Newsweek Sports.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Russell Wilson's negotiations with Broncos revealed strong evidence of collusion
System Arbitrator Christopher Droney had no choice but to find that the NFL tried to get its teams to collude regarding guaranteed contracts, given the black-and-white clarity of the evidence. Regarding whether the teams followed the league's lead, Droney ignored strong circumstantial evidence. Plenty of the evidence comes from the negotiations between the Broncos and quarterback Russell Wilson. Advertisement Wilson testified that, early in his discussions with the Broncos, he requested a seven-year, fully-guaranteed contract that would pay "around $50 million a year." The Broncos, said Wilson, "didn't blink." The trade that sent Wilson to Denver became official on March 16, 2022. In the following days, something changed. "I would say shortly after [the trade], maybe within the next ten days or so, they started getting cold feet on this fully guaranteed thing," Wilson testified in the hearing. Coincidentally — or not — "the NFL Management Council, with the blessing of the Commissioner, encouraged the 32 NFL Clubs to reduce guarantees in veterans' contracts at the March 2022 annual owners' meeting," as Droney concluded. The encouragement happened on March 28, only 12 days afer the Wilson trade was announced. Advertisement Is it really a surprise, then, that the Broncos backpedaled? The backpedaling continued through August, when the team was sold to the Walton-Penner group. After the sale became final, a deal with Wilson was pursued. The Broncos, despite Wilson's testimony that the team "didn't blink" at the prospect of a fully-guaranteed deal, took the position that a fully-guaranteed contract like Deshaun Watson's "was a non starter." During the talks, Broncos owner Greg Penner told other members of the Denver ownership group that "there's not[h]ing in here that other owners will consider off market (e.g. like the Watson guarantees)." Later, Penner told his partners that G.M. George Paton "feels very good about it for us as a franchise and the benchmark it sets (versus Watson) for the rest of the league." Advertisement Those comments are as powerful as the smoking-gun text exchange between Chargers owner Dean Spanos and Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill regarding the Kyler Murray deal. They are circumstantial evidence of the existence of an agreement among owners to hold down guarantees, and of a desire by Penner and the Broncos to comply with it. Why else would Penner care about other owners and other teams when negotiating a contract with Wilson? When Penner was the CEO of WalMart, did he care about the impact his decisions regarding key employee pay may have on Target's compensation structure for similar employees? The evidence of collusion was right there. Droney blew it. There's no other way to put it. And the NFL Players Association continues to blow it by not publicizing the contents of the 61-page ruling.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Russell Wilson's negotiation with Broncos revealed strong evidence of collusion
System Arbitrator Christopher Droney had no choice but to find that the NFL tried to get its teams to collude regarding guaranteed contracts, given the black-and-white clarity of the evidence. Regarding whether the teams followed the league's lead, Droney ignored strong circumstantial evidence. Plenty of the evidence comes from the negotiations between the Broncos and quarterback Russell Wilson. Advertisement Wilson testified that, early in his discussions with the Broncos, he requested a seven-year, fully-guaranteed contract that would pay "around $50 million a year." The Broncos, said Wilson, "didn't blink." The trade that sent Wilson to Denver became official on March 16, 2022. In the following days, something changed. "I would say shortly after [the trade], maybe within the next ten days or so, they started getting cold feet on this fully guaranteed thing," Wilson testified in the hearing. Coincidentally — or not — "the NFL Management Council, with the blessing of the Commissioner, encouraged the 32 NFL Clubs to reduce guarantees in veterans' contracts at the March 2022 annual owners' meeting," as Droney concluded. The encouragement happened on March 28, only 12 days afer the Wilson trade was announced. Advertisement Is it really a surprise, then, that the Broncos backpedaled? The backpedaling continued through August, when the team was sold to the Walton-Penner group. After the sale became final, a deal with Wilson was pursued. The Broncos, despite Wilson's testimony that the team "didn't blink" at the prospect of a fully-guaranteed deal, took the position that a fully-guaranteed contract like Deshaun Watson's "was a non starter." During the talks, Broncos owner Greg Penner told other members of the Denver ownership group that "there's not[h]ing in here that other owners will consider off market (e.g. like the Watson guarantees)." Later, Penner told his partners that G.M. George Paton "feels very good about it for us as a franchise and the benchmark it sets (versus Watson) for the rest of the league." Advertisement Those comments are as powerful as the smoking-gun text exchange between Chargers owner Dean Spanos and Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill regarding the Kyler Murray deal. They are circumstantial evidence of the existence of an agreement among owners to hold down guarantees, and of a desire by Penner and the Broncos to comply with it. Why else would Penner care about other owners and other teams when negotiating a contract with Wilson? When Penner was the CEO of WalMart, did he care about the impact his decisions regarding key employee pay may have on Target's compensation structure for similar employees? The evidence of collusion was right there. Droney blew it. There's no other way to put it. And the NFL Players Association continues to blow it by not publicizing the contents of the 61-page ruling.
