One of the biggest surprises that occurred earlier in the offseason was the Denver Broncos cutting quarterback Russell Wilson just two years after giving up a massive haul to acquire his services.
Regardless of the Broncos’ mistake, Wilson has benefitted financially due to his large amount of guaranteed money. After his release from Denver, the former Super Bowl-winning quarterback joined the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Let’s take a look at Wilson’s new contract, 2024 salary, and current net worth.
Russell Wilson’s 2024 Salary
When Wilson signed his massive five-year extension with the Broncos, it included $161 million guaranteed and a base salary of $39 million for 2024. His cap hit in Denver would’ve been $53 million this year according to Spotrac. His release was surprising because the Broncos are now on the books for $89 million in dead money.
The Broncos will essentially be paying Wilson $39 million this year to not play for them. His contract with the Steelers is for one year with $1,210,000 fully guaranteed. This brings Wilson’s 2024 salary total to $40,210,000.
Due to the rare ability to sign Wilson for cheap, the Steelers were able to attain him for the veteran minimum. Wilson makes up just 0.5% of the Steelers’ total cap space and makes less money than players such as George Pickens, Pat Freiermuth, Cordarrelle Patterson, and his competition in Justin Fields.
What Is Wilson’s Net Worth?
Some outlets have Wilson’s net worth set at $165 million, while Forbes has it at $85 million. That’s a fairly large range to estimate from, but it’s at least somewhere north of $80 million.
Wilson’s career earnings are set at $305,340,123, making him the fifth-highest-earning player in NFL history. He’s also the third-highest-earning active player, behind Aaron Rodgers and Matthew Stafford.
Wilson signed three contracts with the Seattle Seahawks. His rookie deal was for four years and $2.9 million. His first extension in Seattle was a four-year, $87.6 million deal signed in 2015 with $31.7 million guaranteed. Wilson earned $72,142,000 from that contract before signing his next extension with Seattle in 2019. That contract was worth $140 million over four years, including $70 million guaranteed. Wilson earned $107 million from that deal before being dealt to the Broncos.
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His off-field ventures have also helped him earn a hefty amount. Forbes estimated that Wilson will earn $13 million this year from endorsements alone. Wilson has deals with Amazon, Bose, Mercedes-Benz, Nike, Wilson Sporting Goods, Subway, Levi’s, and Pepsi, among others.
This will be an interesting earning year for Wilson, as he’ll be getting paid from two different teams. The $1.21 million deal he agreed to with Pittsburgh is the smallest one of his career, even lower than his rookie contract. If Wilson can improve his play with the Steelers, it could look like a bargain by this time next year.