Russell Wilson facts for kids
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Wilson with the Denver Broncos in 2022
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| No. 3 – Pittsburgh Steelers | |||||||||||||||||
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| Position: | Quarterback | ||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
| Born: | November 29, 1988 Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. |
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| Height: | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 206 lb (93 kg) | ||||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||||
| High school: | Collegiate School (Richmond, Virginia) |
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| College: |
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| NFL Draft: | 2012 / Round: 3 / Pick: 75 | ||||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||||
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| Roster status: | Active | ||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics as of 2024 | |||||||||||||||||
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Russell Carrington Wilson (born November 29, 1988) is an American professional football quarterback. He plays for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League (NFL). Before joining the Steelers, he played for the Seattle Seahawks for 10 seasons and the Denver Broncos for two seasons.
With the Seahawks, Wilson was chosen for the Pro Bowl nine times. He also helped Seattle win their first Super Bowl championship in Super Bowl XLVIII. Many people think he is one of the best "dual-threat" quarterbacks ever. This means he is great at both throwing the ball and running with it.
Wilson played college football and baseball for the NC State Wolfpack from 2008 to 2010. He then moved to the Wisconsin Badgers in 2011. There, he set a record for passing efficiency and led his team to a Big Ten title. He also played minor league baseball as a second baseman.
The Seattle Seahawks picked Wilson in the third round of the 2012 NFL draft. He quickly became a star. He led the Seahawks to two Super Bowl games in a row. They won Super Bowl XLVIII but lost Super Bowl XLIX.
Wilson holds the record for most wins by an NFL quarterback in their first nine seasons. He is also one of only five quarterbacks with a career passer rating over 99. In 2019, he signed a huge contract with the Seahawks, becoming one of the highest-paid NFL players at the time.
Russell Wilson is also known for his charity work. He won the Walter Payton Man of the Year award in 2020. This award recognizes players who do a lot for their communities. He is also a part-owner of the Seattle Sounders FC soccer team.
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Russell Wilson's Early Life
Russell Wilson was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, and grew up in Richmond, Virginia. His father, Harrison Benjamin Wilson III, was a lawyer, and his mother, Tammy Wilson, was a nurse. He has an older brother, Harrison IV, and a younger sister, Anna.
Russell started playing football with his dad and brother when he was just four years old. He played his first organized game in sixth grade. His father played football and baseball in college. Russell's brother and sister also played sports in college.
Sadly, Russell's father passed away in 2010. This happened the day after Russell was drafted by a baseball team.
High School Football Career
Wilson went to Collegiate School in Richmond, Virginia. He was a fantastic football player there.
In 2005, when he was a junior, he threw for over 3,200 yards and 40 touchdowns. He also ran for over 600 yards and 15 touchdowns. He was named an all-district, all-region, and all-state player. He won the Richmond Times-Dispatch Player of the Year award twice.
As a senior, he continued to shine. He threw for over 3,000 yards and 34 touchdowns. He also rushed for over 1,100 yards and 18 touchdowns. He was even featured in Sports Illustrated for his amazing play in the state championship game.
During high school, Wilson also played basketball and baseball. He was a very talented athlete in many sports.
College Football Journey
Playing for NC State
Wilson started his college football career at NC State in 2007. He didn't play in 2007, but in 2008, he became the starting quarterback. He led the team to a winning record.
In his first season, he threw for 1,955 yards and 17 touchdowns. He was even named the first-team All-ACC quarterback. This was special because he was the first freshman quarterback in the conference to get this honor.
In 2009, Wilson set an NCAA record for most passes without an interception. He threw 379 passes in a row without one! He finished that season with over 3,000 passing yards and 31 touchdowns.
In 2010, Wilson led NC State to a 9–4 season. He was one of the best passers in the ACC. He graduated from NC State in just three years with a degree in communication.
Transferring to Wisconsin
In 2011, Wilson decided to transfer to the University of Wisconsin. He quickly became their starting quarterback.
He led the Badgers to a great 2011 season. They won the first-ever Big Ten Championship Game. Wilson threw for three touchdowns in that game and was named the MVP. He also set a new school record for passing touchdowns in a single season with 33.
Wilson finished ninth in the voting for the Heisman Trophy, which is given to the best college football player. After transferring, he also earned a master's degree in educational leadership.
Professional Football Career
Joining the Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks picked Russell Wilson in the third round of the 2012 NFL Draft. Many people were surprised because the Seahawks had just signed another quarterback. But Wilson quickly proved he was the right choice.
2012: Rookie Season Success
Wilson became the Seahawks' starting quarterback for his very first regular season game. He earned "Rookie of the Week" honors several times. He also won "NFC Offensive Player of the Month" for December 2012.
He finished his rookie season with 3,118 passing yards and 26 touchdowns. This tied a record for most touchdowns thrown by a rookie quarterback. He also ran for 489 yards. Wilson led the Seahawks to the playoffs in his first year. He was chosen as an alternate for the 2013 Pro Bowl.
2013: Super Bowl Champions!
The Seahawks had an amazing 2013 season. They started 4–0 and then had a 7-game winning streak. Wilson led them to a 13–3 record, winning their division and getting the top spot in the playoffs.
In the playoffs, the Seahawks defeated the New Orleans Saints and the San Francisco 49ers. This sent them to Super Bowl XLVIII. Wilson led the team to a huge 43–8 win over the Denver Broncos. This was the Seahawks' first Super Bowl victory ever!
Wilson became only the second black starting quarterback to win a Super Bowl. He also became the shortest quarterback to win a Super Bowl at 5'11".
2014: Back-to-Back Super Bowls
The Seahawks continued their success in 2014. Wilson led them to another strong season, finishing with a 12–4 record. They clinched their division and the top playoff spot for the second year in a row.
In the playoffs, they beat the Carolina Panthers. Then, in the NFC Championship game against the Green Bay Packers, Wilson led an incredible comeback. The Seahawks were down 16–0 at halftime, but they fought back and won in overtime!
This sent them to Super Bowl XLIX against the New England Patriots. It was a very close game. The Seahawks were at the Patriots' one-yard line with seconds left, but a pass from Wilson was intercepted. The Patriots won 28–24.
2015: Record-Breaking Passing
Before the 2015 season, Wilson signed a big contract extension with the Seahawks. He had an incredible second half of the season. He threw 19 touchdowns with no interceptions in five straight games, which was an NFL record!
Wilson broke several Seahawks records in 2015, including most passing yards (4,024) and most passing touchdowns (34) in a season. He was named to his third Pro Bowl. The Seahawks made the playoffs again, but lost to the Carolina Panthers in the Divisional Round.
2016-2021: Continued Success and Departure
Wilson continued to lead the Seahawks in the following years. He played through some minor injuries in 2016 but still had a career-high 4,219 passing yards. The Seahawks won their division again.
In 2017, Wilson led the league in passing touchdowns with 34. He also rushed for 586 yards, leading his team in both categories. He was named to his fourth Pro Bowl.
In 2018, Wilson set new personal and team records with 35 touchdowns and a 110.9 passer rating. He helped the Seahawks return to the playoffs. He was named to his sixth Pro Bowl.
In 2019, Wilson signed another big contract, making him the highest-paid player in the NFL at the time. He had another great season with over 4,100 passing yards and 31 touchdowns. He was named to the Pro Bowl and was a second-team All-Pro player.
In 2020, Wilson had his best season for touchdowns, throwing 40! He broke his own team record. He was named NFC Offensive Player of the Month in September. He also won the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award for his community service.
In 2021, Wilson missed his first game ever due to a finger injury. He still finished the season with 25 touchdowns and earned his ninth Pro Bowl nomination. After the 2021 season, Wilson was traded from the Seahawks.
Time with the Denver Broncos
In March 2022, Russell Wilson was traded to the Denver Broncos. He signed a large contract extension with them.
2022-2023: Challenges in Denver
Wilson's first game as a Bronco was against his old team, the Seahawks. The Broncos lost that game. The 2022 season was tough for Wilson and the Broncos. The team struggled to score points and had the worst offense in the league. Wilson was sacked many times.
In 2023, Wilson had a new head coach. The Broncos started the season with some losses. However, Wilson helped them win some important games later in the season. Near the end of 2023, the Broncos decided to bench Wilson for the final two games. In March 2024, the Broncos announced that Wilson would be released from the team.
Joining the Pittsburgh Steelers
In March 2024, Wilson signed a one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was named the starting quarterback for the season.
He missed the first five weeks due to a calf injury. In Week 7, Wilson made his first start for the Steelers. He threw for 264 yards and two touchdowns, and also ran for a score, helping the Steelers win 37–15. He continued to play well, leading the Steelers to a 10–3 record at one point.
Russell Wilson's Baseball Career
Russell Wilson was also a talented baseball player. The Baltimore Orioles drafted him in 2007, but he chose to go to college instead.
He played college baseball for NC State from 2008 to 2010. In 2010, the Colorado Rockies drafted him in the fourth round. He played as a second baseman for their minor league teams, the Tri-City Dust Devils and the Asheville Tourists.
In 2012, Wilson decided to focus on his NFL career. However, he was later traded to the Texas Rangers and then to the New York Yankees. He even got to pinch-hit in a professional baseball game for the Yankees in 2018, which was a dream come true for him.
Business and Endorsements
Russell Wilson is involved in many businesses and has endorsed several big brands. He has appeared in ads for companies like Levi's, Pepsi, Nike, and Microsoft.
In 2016, he launched his own clothing line called Good Man Brand. He also invested in a group trying to bring NBA and NHL teams to Seattle. In 2017, he started a fan network platform called TraceMe.
In 2019, Russell and his wife Ciara became part-owners of the Seattle Sounders FC soccer team. The Sounders won the 2019 MLS Cup that year! In 2020, Wilson became the Chairman of NFL FLAG, helping to grow flag football around the world.
Russell Wilson's Personal Life
Russell Wilson is married to American R&B singer Ciara. They started dating in 2015 and got married in England in 2016. They have three children together. Russell also has a stepson.
Wilson is a very religious person and often talks about his Christian faith. He and Ciara decided to wait until they were married before becoming intimate, based on their shared beliefs.
In 2022, the family moved to Colorado after Wilson joined the Broncos. They bought a record-setting home there.
In 2021, Russell and Ciara wrote a children's book called Why Not You?. The book encourages kids to follow their dreams and became a New York Times bestseller.
Charity Work and Community Service
Russell Wilson is well-known for his amazing charity work. He is very active in the community.
During the football season, Wilson often visits Seattle Children's Hospital on his days off. He also visits soldiers at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. In the offseason, he hosts youth football camps called the Russell Wilson Passing Academy.
He has partnered with organizations like Russell Investments to donate money to his charitable foundation. He also co-hosts a charity golf event to support groups like Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
In 2016, Wilson's Why Not You Foundation raised over $1 million for the Seattle Children's Hospital's Strong Against Cancer program. In 2020, he and Ciara donated one million meals to people in need during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2022, Russell and Ciara received the Paul G. Allen Humanitarian Award for their generous contributions to Seattle. They also pledged to donate $500,000 to non-profit groups in Colorado.
Images for kids
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Wilson and the Badgers threaten the Purdue Boilermakers end zone in 2011.
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Wilson with the Lombardi Trophy after leading the Seahawks to win Super Bowl XLVIII
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Wilson at the 2020 Pro Bowl
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Wilson in 2021
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Wilson (third from left) takes the field before a game at Acrisure Stadium in 2024.
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Gulfstream G-IV owned by his West2East production company
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Wilson and girlfriend (later wife) Ciara meet Barack Obama and Shinzō Abe at the White House on April 28, 2015.
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