Even though he’s a former Super Bowl champion and a 10-time pro bowler, it seems as if the masses have just about ran out of patience with Russell Wilson. After a series of disappointing seasons with both the Denver Broncos and the Pittsburgh Steelers, the 13-year veteran is now seemingly on his last chance after signing a one-year, $10.5-million deal with the New York Giants.
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While the entirety of that $10.5 million will be guaranteed to him, that will be the only thing that is certain about his upcoming season in New York. In fact, former NFL quarterback turned analyst, Chris Simms, believes that the clock is officially ticking on Wilson’s starting career.
“The clock is ticking. This is his last chance to be a starter in the NFL. This is it… I’m not even sold that he’s definitely going to be the starter. If you made me bet, I would say that Week 1 he’s the starter. But for how long? Well, that’s all going to be dependent on how well he plays.”
According to Simms, the ever-faltering play of Wilson isn’t even the only factor to be concerned about. In noting that the Giants’ head coach, Brian Daboll, is incredibly fond of Jaxson Dart, Simms suggests that the rookie’s presence is looming large over the city of New York right now.
Likewise, the monotonous rhythm of Wilson’s seasonal performances has become too much to ignore at this point in his career.
“Three years in a row it’s the same thing. Russell Wilson starts off kinda good, but once teams start to realize how he plays, where he attacks on the field, and he’s reluctant to throw the ball down the middle of the field… Sometimes he doesn’t see open receivers, or he waits for something else, or he’s watching the rush… All that rears its ugly head as the year goes on and on.”
Even though he has yet to touch a blade of grass under the NFL’s banner, Dart is already proving to be a legitimate candidate for the Giants’ starting job in 2025. With reports indicating that he’s already begun to impress the Giants’ coaching staff, it seems increasingly likely that he’ll get the nod should Wilson begin to slip.
Given the short-term status of Wilson’s contract, it’s clear that the team views him as nothing more than a bridge towards the future. Then again, Daboll is on the record for having told Dart that he would be “banking on him,” so it may not be surprising to see the Giants burn that bridge.
Daboll to Jaxson Dart: "I'm banking on you."
If you really think Dart is going to sit most of this season, you are crazy.
This is Daboll's pick. He's on the hot seat. Dart will play as soon as possible.pic.twitter.com/pc2KJER1OP
— Gridiron Media (@Gridiron_Media_) May 24, 2025
New York reportedly has a desire to win football games sooner rather than later. Should the state of Wilson’s play continue to nosedive, the Giants likely won’t hesitate to bench him.
Considering that they can choose the flavor of his replacement by siding with either a rookie in Dart or a veteran in Jameis Winston, it may not take much at all for the team to pull the curtain on Wilson’s starting career. From the Giants’ perspective, the ability to have options is a blessing, but for Wilson, the circumstance is absolutely dire.
