How Russell Wilson Turned A Height Debate Into An $87.6 Million Payday With The Seattle Seahawks

Russell Wilson went to the Seattle Seahawks at No. 75, then landed an $87.6 million extension.© Image via: X/@NFL

Five quarterbacks left the board before Russell Wilson heard his name in 2012. Teams worried about his height, and the Seattle Seahawks saw a bargain instead. They took him in the third round, watched him win a Super Bowl in his second season, and then paid him like a franchise star. On July 31, 2015, Seattle finalized a four-year, $87.6 million extension hours before training camp opened. Wilson, now retired and working at CBS, has reportedly interviewed for the NC State head coaching job. Few third-rounders ever cash in like that.

Why Russell Wilson Slipped To The Seattle Seahawks In The 2012 NFL Draft

Wilson measured 5 feet, 10 5/8 inches at the 2012 NFL Scouting Combine, and that number followed him everywhere. Two weeks before the draft, then-ESPN analyst Jon Gruden gave his view.

"The only issue with Russell Wilson is his height," Gruden declared.

Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III, Ryan Tannehill, Brandon Weeden and Brock Osweiler all went ahead of him. ESPN's Mike Sando wrote that history works against shorter quarterbacks, though he also noted Wilson's unusually large hands. That detail matters more than it sounds, since big hands help a passer grip the ball and protect it. Seattle picked Wilson at No. 75.

Not every team brushed him off. John Dorsey, then the Green Bay Packers' director of college scouting, interviewed Wilson at the combine and walked away stunned.

"The most impressive interview I've ever had in the last 25 years of doing this?" Dorsey said. "Russell Wilson. It wasn't even close."

The #Seahawks have made calls to other teams about trading away QB Russell Wilson, @diannaESPN tells @PatMcAfeeShow "He's not happy [in Seattle]" https://t.co/ZIxKLDfm2z

— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) March 4, 2021

Green Bay admired him, but with Aaron Rodgers already in place, the Packers had no need at the position.

How The Seattle Seahawks Built An $87.6 Million Contract Around Russell Wilson

Wilson stopped being a bargain fast. In his second season, he helped Seattle rout the Denver Broncos 43-8 in Super Bowl XLVIII, becoming the third-youngest starting quarterback to win the title. He started all 48 games over his first three years, and his 36 regular-season wins were the most by any quarterback through three seasons at that time.

With a resume like that, the Seahawks had little room to haggle. The extension carried a $31 million signing bonus and about $61.5 million in guarantees, injury guarantees included. His $21.9 million average per year made him the NFL's second-highest-paid player, just behind Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Wilson shared the news on Twitter that day.

"Blessed to be with this organization for 4 more years!" he wrote.

Look closely at the length. Teams usually like long deals because they lock in costs, yet Seattle gave ground here. Wilson would be only 30 when the final season began, which set him up to test the market again while still in his prime. He did land another extension in 2019.