It came as no surprise a few weeks ago when Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson made it very clear he wanted to be paid accordingly for what he has done on the field.
What did come as a bit of a surprise was how brash he was about it, mainly because he is seen as a rather mild-mannered, quiet guy both on and off the field. But he set deadlines, made statements and gave an ultimatum to the Seahawks that he was either going to be the highest-paid quarterback in the NFL or they would have to replace him.
Wilson’s deadline was met, and he agreed to a four-year, $140 million contract that will net him an average salary of $35 million as he heads into his early 30s. The deal includes that the quarterback is guaranteed $65 million of that $140 million, topping the original record set by Aaron Rodgers of $33.5 million per year and $57.5 million guaranteed.
Now it is that always-fun time of speculation of, "Is he really worth it?"
The answer isn't simple.
It all depends on how deep you look at individual statistics and then take into account schemes and player personnel around him. For example, Wilson finished 18th in the league in total passing yards with 3,448. But to only look at that does not tell the whole story.
Seattle’s offense doesn’t emphasize throwing the ball down the field, which is why it did not have a 1,000 yard receiver last season and hasn't had one since 2016 with Doug Baldwin. Wilson did put numbers on the board though, finishing tied for third in touchdowns with 35 and had the fifth-highest quarterback rating with over 110.
Then, you must look at his whole make-up to truly say, yes, he is worth it. The six-time Pro Bowler and one-time Super Bowl champion has handled his situation in Seattle with grace and aplomb. He never complained about the team being defensive-minded, while also focusing on running more than throwing on offense. He never complained about his second contract being far less money than his peers, despite being one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks.
Now, he could be selfish and ask to be the highest paid player in NFL history and he is right to do so. He’s getting paid like the best, now he has to prove he is worth it.
