Russell Wilson Announces Decision on Retirement
There was a time, not all that long ago, that Russell Wilson was widely considered one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL and one of the most high-profile male starsin the country, with his high-profile relationship with pop sensation Ciara only adding to that fame.
Lately, that has not been the case. However, that doesn't mean Wilson is ready to call it quits.
After starting just three games for the New York Giants and spending most of the season as the team's third-string quarterback, there was a lot of speculation that the 37-year-old quarterback could choose to retire after this season. But it doesn't sound like that's going to happen, after all.
Wilson Makes a Decision on Retirement
As Wilson's time with the Giants comes to a close, he made it very clear that his football career is not coming to an end, even if the past few seasons did not go the way that he had hoped they would.
"Yeah, I'm not blinking," Wilson said this week via ESPN. "I know what I'm capable of. I think I showed that in Dallas. I want to do that again and just be ready to rock and roll and be as healthy as possible and be able to play ball."
Though Wilson obviously still has confidence in himself as a starting quarterback in the league, he would still be open to a backup role, as well.
"My hope is just to have the ball in my hands and help a team win," Wilson said. "Try to do everything I can to help an organization get to the finish line. That is my focus.
"My love for the game and what I know I'm capable of when I'm healthy and can move the way I know I can move and do all that stuff, I know what I'm capable of. I'm just excited. Focusing on the next several weeks. I have my game plan together, know what I'm going to do to get ready and mentally train, physically train and all those things. I got great confidence."
Wilson Played Injured
While this season did not exactly go the way he had hoped when he signed with the Giants over the offseason, it sounds like there's a good reason for that.
During his interview this week, Wilson revealed that he actually dealt with a serious injury early in the season that impacted him the entire season.
Wilson said that he suffered a serious hamstring injury before the team's Week 2 game against the Dallas Cowboys – a game in which he threw for 450 yards and three touchdowns.
"I played that game … I tore my hamstring on Friday in practice, the last play of practice," Wilson said. "I had a Grade 2. I couldn't tell anybody. I had to go and play on it. Just because I knew the circumstances. I had to play on it no matter what. I ended up going to the Dallas Mavericks facility, training, and kept it quiet. Tried to get treatment. Just knowing I probably couldn't run from the goal line to the 10-yard line if I wanted to. Just felt I had to play this game."
Needless to say, it sounds like Wilson is not ready to hang up his cleats just yet.