Brian Daboll didn’t take the Giants‘ head coaching job with blind optimism. He came in eyes wide open. Before Russell Wilson ever stepped foot into the building, Daboll had watched more than 7,500 of his plays. That’s not fandom. That’s forensic study. Decision making, athleticism, explosiveness, and deep ball touch, he saw enough to believe there was still something left in the tank. But let’s be clear. Daboll isn’t designing an offense for 2013 Russell Wilson. He’s building one for the version standing in front of him today.

That’s exactly what excites Tiki Barber. Speaking on WFAN on July 18, the Giants legend wasn’t romanticizing Wilson’s past. He was challenging the city’s expectations. “They didn’t bring him here to be the future, to play until he’s 42 years old and help lead the New York Giants to a Super Bowl,” Barber said. He wasn’t tearing Wilson down. He was trying to reset the lens, one grounded in the present, not the highlight reels of a decade ago.

And that’s worth underlining. Wilson’s championship shine came early, a title in 2013 and a heartbreak in 2014. Since then, it’s been turbulence. Just four playoff wins in his last ten chances. Only one in the last seven seasons. His Denver numbers weren’t disastrous, but they weren’t magic either. Sub 3,600 yards and passer ratings that barely cracked 98. By the time he arrived in Pittsburgh in 2024, things dipped further. Barely 2,500 yards. Just 16 touchdowns. A QBR that placed him in the bottom third of the league.

Barber, for all his belief in Wilson the man, stayed honest. “Like you said, Sean, if that happens, fantastic. We will all take it. Trust us. But I don’t know if he has that left.” That’s not bitterness. That’s realism. Wilson still believes. Daboll sees potential. But Barber is simply urging fans not to expect miracles.

Because this is a tightrope walk. Wilson wasn’t brought in to light up the scoreboard or put the city on his back. He was brought in to steady a franchise that just went 3 and 14. If he gets them to the playoffs, that’s a success. Anything beyond that is icing. Wilson’s not here to chase MVP trophies. He’s here to bring stability. No more chaos. No more quarterback drama. Just clean, efficient football.

Russell Wilson is the carrier of change

That’s what Tiki was getting at. “I kind of think he’s the perfect fit for what these Giants are trying to accomplish,” he said. “I know that he’s what the Giants want because I’ve had conversations with Dabs (Brian Daboll) and Shane (Joe Schoen) about this. And one of the things I felt myself, anybody who meets Russell Wilson, and maybe you didn’t even know him well, you haven’t met him before, but anytime you meet Russell Wilson, you can’t help but be uplifted in some capacity.”

He wasn’t talking about stats. He was talking about culture. “And I say that because this is what I think Dabs and Shane brought him to New York to do.” Those are the words of a man who’s seen locker rooms rise and fall based on character. And right now, Wilson is the requirement of this locker room.

You don’t have to look far for proof. “We couldn’t be more happy that he’s our quarterback,” said receiver Wan’Dale Robinson. He praised how Wilson commands everything, not just the huddle, but every moment off the field, too. Guard Greg Van Roten added that “no stone goes unturned with him.”

This is who Wilson has always been. In Seattle, he mentored guys like DK Metcalf and even had him living at his house during the offseason. Moreover, in Denver and Pittsburgh, despite the noise, he kept showing up. Belief never wavered. And now in New York, that belief is beginning to stick.

The Giants didn’t sign Russell Wilson to chase confetti. Instead, they signed him to change the air in the room. And maybe, that’ll be enough to matter.