Back in 2019, Russell Wilson boldly declared his longevity goals, saying he wanted to play until age 45. The then-31-year-old believed he would get stronger and wiser with age, stating that increased wisdom would be a significant advantage. At the time, Wilson was an eight-year veteran riding high as a Super Bowl champion and five-time Pro Bowler, embodying the success expected of a quarterback of his caliber.

Fast forward to today: the Super Bowl count still sits at one, but he’s doubled his Pro Bowl selections, changed jerseys a couple of times, and added plenty of chapters to his story. Yet that drive to keep playing past 40? That fire hasn’t dimmed one bit. If anything, it’s sharper than ever. The 36-year-old now started feeling 25 all over again. The now Giants‘ QB said it himself, during a chat with Mackenzie Salmon of USA Today Sports.

“I feel young. I feel, I feel like I’m 25 all over again,” Wilson said when Salmon asked if he thinks he’s going to play in his 40s. In a league where Derek Carr hung up his cleats at 34, while Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers kept calling the shots well into their 40s, Wilson made it clear he’s aiming for that same long-haul path. And the reason behind his abilities? There are many. “But I think what’s really important is constantly moving,” Wilson added.

He went on, “You know, I first of all, my kids keep me young, you know, Ciara keeps me young. You know, like we’re just constantly. But also too, I think the fun part is that, you know, I’ve always believed in, you know, uh, prehab rather than rehab.” At 36, Wilson’s a dad to four amazing kids and a husband to singer-songwriter Ciara.

Off the field, you’ll often find him and Ciara giving back, whether it’s volunteering or running their “Why Not You Foundation,” which focuses on empowering kids through education, health, and fighting poverty. And if you scroll through social media, you’ll catch plenty of him just hanging out with his kids. Quality family time is clearly a priority. The writing is on the wall: Russell Wilson never really sits still.

He’s always on the move, whether making an impact off the field with his family and charitable work or leading his team from under the center on the field. The quarterback credits prehab rather than rehab for his on-field success, which allows him to play as long as he wants to play. “You know, I’ve created a whole internal uh team, you know, my own, you know, performance team,” he added.

“You know, I have, you know, a full-time PT, a full-time trainer. I have a stretch specialist. I have, you know, you know, nutritionists and all that stuff and chefs and all that. So we, you know, you’re constantly doing that and investing into you, investing into your own body because that allows you to play as long as you want to do.” Wilson’s habit of focusing on prehab rather than rehab helped him stay fit in his 30s, especially in the past few seasons.

What’s more interesting about his wanting to continue playing is his obsession with the game. He said, “Like I love the game. I’m obsessed with football. I’m obsessed with film. I’m obsessed with studying. I’m obsessed with getting better every day. And that obsession, that love, that passion for that is what makes it really fun.” As long as that passion, obsession, and love continue, no one can make him stay away from the game.

Wilson’s durability declined in recent years. In his final Seattle season, he broke his middle finger in Week 5, requiring surgery and ending his streak of 149 consecutive starts since his NFL debut – the first regular-season game he’d ever missed. The injury concerns continued in Pittsburgh, where, despite being named the Week 1 starter in 2024, a calf injury sidelined him for the first six games of the season.

Once he got back, though, he reclaimed QB1 and pushed the Steelers into the playoffs. The ending wasn’t storybook, but the 36-year-old still walked away with his 10th Pro Bowl nod. Now, he’s leading the offense in New York. Sure, he struggled in the Giants’ season opener against the Commanders. But considering the quarterback still wants to push past his 40s, expect a comeback from Wilson in the Week 2 showdown against Dallas.

Russell Wilson is set to start against the Cowboys

With the Week 2 showdown against the Cowboys approaching, it’s safe to say that Russell Wilson’s debut for the Giants raised many questions. But the one that actually stood out: Will Brian Daboll start with Wilson in Week 2? Short answer: Yes. After an embarrassing loss against Washington and amid the debate to start with Jaxson Dart, the HC announced that Wilson is the starter for Week 2.

On Monday, Daboll confirmed that there was never a serious decision to make when it came to the QB room. “No,” the HC said. “Russ will be the starter.” The skepticism around Wilson’s ability was palpable. After all, the Giants’ offense struggled massively in the team’s season opener. The quarterback couldn’t even complete more than half of his passes and went 17-of-37, for just 168 yards, without even scoring a touchdown.

New York managed to gain just 271 yards of total offense, with the running backs struggling to contribute on the ground. No wonder Daboll was constantly asked whether he’d start with Wilson or not. That said, the real question now is whether Wilson can guide the Giants to their first win of the season or if the chatter about Dart taking over as QB1 starts to get real. We’ll see in a few days.