Russell Wilson has already started to show his belief in beginning his next chapter with the Giants.“Me and Carmelo were talking about this. He’s like, man, this is the perfect place for you to reestablish and have everybody realize who Russell Wilson really is.” This is what he said, reflecting his sentiments on signing with the Giants. After all, coincidentally, his new chapter starts with a sort of miraculous symmetry: the Giants gave Wilson the same locker in MetLife Stadium that he used during Super Bowl XLVIII while playing for the Seahawks. But…there’s a twist in the story. Did you know, Wilson rejected 1 team to be with New York?

Back in March, ESPN reporter Jeremy Fowler claimed that Russell Wilson was on his way to the Giants after leaving his meeting with the Browns without a deal. Yes! The $5.15 billion team approached the quarterback, but Wilson backed off, heading towards the Giants. Eventually, the ten-time Pro Bowler signed a $10.5 million one-year contract with the team. In fact, earlier, Myles Garrett disclosed his proposal to Russell Wilson on a potential Browns deal. “What’s my pitch? I won’t take him to the ground 3-4 times a year,” he stated. Wilson’s intention was visible to the Giants; therefore, his pitch was unsuccessful. But that’s not the only case.

During a recent appearance on Jimmy Fallon’s Tonight Show, he made it clear that one of the main reasons he chose to join was the presence of head coach Brian Daboll. Yes! He could not hold back from giving a big shout-out to the Giants’ HC. “It’s cool when you know the other guys are already doing that work, and they want to win. They want to do all the right things to do that. And I think Coach Daboll has done a tremendous job. Guy who’s been coach of the year, you know, three years ago. Guy who I believe in, big reason why I came here,” he asserted.

However, this was not the first time Wilson’s admiration for Daboll garnered attention. Earlier, he highlighted Daboll’s sharp mind and offensive prowess while acknowledging that Daboll was a major factor in the decision to join the Giants. Additionally, Wilson also emphasized Daboll’s capacity to coach and develop athletes at the time, pointing to his prior achievements with Josh Allen and Daniel Jones.

He even cited Daboll’s Coach of the Year honor and his Super Bowl-winning tenure with the Patriots as proof of his high standards and offensive vision. “I think the coaching staff is tremendous, and their ability to teach every day,” he stated. Furthermore, Wilson highlighted: “ I think what makes a great coach is the ability to teach, to be able to teach young guys, to be able to teach veterans, to be able to constantly learn….being on that constant quest for knowledge is such a necessary thing, and that’s the part that I love the most.”

Hence, the NFL SB champion is excited to “create some more memories with some amazing teammates for this amazing fan base.” Well, that is not just nostalgia. It’s a direct hint that Wilson doesn’t want a role. He even wants the build a legacy here. And, he has solid reasons for choosing the Giants over a multi-billion-dollar franchise.

Now, with such stances, it is obvious why he turned down Myles Garrett’s pitch from the Browns. Wilson even had a meeting with Browns DE Garrett, who was part of the recruitment process, during the 2025 free agency period. Still, he chose the Big Apple.

Russell Wilson’s fresh start in NY

During the show, the NFL standout QB did not forget to express his applause for the Giants’ owners. While recounting the Mara and the Tisch family’s efforts and contributions to building the successful team, he reflected on his winning mindset for the upcoming season. “You know,  the Tishes and the Maras. In 1925, they started this. I mean, everybody in America loves football, but this is the New York Giants. And this is pretty special. You can’t mess this up. Yeah, come on. But we need to win. Let’s go,” he said.

After winning nine Pro Bowls in ten seasons with Seattle, he had a statistical meltdown in his first season with Denver in 2022. Then, he took a league-high 55 sacks, had a 60.5% completion rate, and saw the Broncos spend an NFL-high $85 million in dead money before they could move on.

With 26 touchdowns and just eight interceptions in 2023, Wilson came back. Ultimately, Mr. Unlimited was replaced by the Broncos. He was briefly signed by Pittsburgh, but he was forced out due to back-to-back losses in the final phase of the season. Eventually, Aaron Rodgers took over. Despite having an offer from the Browns with $5.15 billion net worth, he feels proud to join the Giants. And, he is excited to work with the teammates who put in extra efforts and do hard work.

“I’m excited about it.  I love our team. I love the guys that we have, the players, the youth, and the hard work that they put in. You know what the cool part is? This has been my 14th year. And I always, you know, as you go on, what you always want to know is, you know, how guys enter the building, how they leave the building,” he said.  With passion burning, it is evident that Wilson aims to write a bold new chapter in the Giants’ blue glory.