It has been a long three years for quarterback Russell Wilson since he left the Seattle Seahawks. After spending two disappointing seasons with the Denver Broncos, the team paid a hefty price to move on from Wilson, trading him to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Wilson initially showed promise after taking over as the Steelers’ starting quarterback midway through the 2024 NFL season, but that momentum quickly faded as Pittsburgh’s season ended in a blowout playoff loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
Now, as Wilson considers his next move in free agency, a former NFL general manager has warned that signing with a particular team would be his “professional grave.”
Signing With Giants Would Be ‘Professional Grave’ for Russell Wilson
Mike Tannenbaum, a former NFL GM and now an ESPN analyst, appeared on ESPN’s “Get Up” to discuss NFL free agency and made a bold statement about Wilson.
“If you go to the New York Giants, it will be the professional grave.”
It’s important to note, however, that Tannenbaum made the comment while role-playing as a Cleveland Browns executive, attempting to sell Wilson on signing with Cleveland.
He further argued, “When was the last time, since Eli Manning, that a quarterback went to the Giants and had a good story to tell?”
"If you go to the New York Giants, it will be the professional grave."
—@RealTannenbaum on what would be his pitch to Russell Wilson if he were the Cleveland Browns GM pic.twitter.com/7lXKl12N41
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) March 13, 2025
The New York Giants are now two full seasons removed from their last playoff victory, which came with Daniel Jones at quarterback in 2022. While that season offered a glimmer of hope, Tannenbaum’s point holds weight when looking at the franchise’s recent history.
In the last two seasons, the Giants have posted records of 6-11 and 3-14. More alarmingly, they’ve won six or fewer games in seven of the last eight seasons and nine of the last 11.
In 2016, New York reached the Wild Card round before suffering an embarrassing loss to the Green Bay Packers. In 2022, the Giants defeated the Minnesota Vikings on Wild Card Weekend but were trounced by the Philadelphia Eagles in the Divisional Round.
The Giants have had a point differential of -100 or worse in six of the last eight seasons, including -142 and -141 in 2023 and 2024, respectively, under head coach Brian Daboll.
With Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen reportedly on the hot seat, the Giants appear to be aggressively pursuing a veteran quarterback to help turn things around in 2025. Reports suggest they have expressed interest in both Wilson and Aaron Rodgers.
However, if Tannenbaum’s assessment is correct, signing with the Giants might not be the best move for Wilson — or any quarterback looking for a successful late-career resurgence.