Russell Wilson by the numbers – a look at new Steelers QB

A numerical-based sampling looking at the career of Russell Wilson, the quarterback who has agreed to sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers:

9

Number of seasons (all among his first 10 in the NFL) that Wilson has been named to the Pro Bowl

1

Times Wilson was named to an AP All-Pro team (the second team in 2019) – for context, future Hall of Fame former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger never earned All-Pro recognition

4th

Wilson’s rank, among all quarterbacks in NFL history, in passer rating (100.0) – for context, Roethlisberger had a 93.5 passer rating and incumbent Steelers QB Kenny Pickett’s is 78.8

2nd

Wilson’s rank, among all active players in pro-football-reference.com’s aggregate Approximate Value — a number that is intended to quantitatively measure a player’s worth to his team over a given season

Tie-14th

Wilson’s rank, among all quarterbacks in NFL history, in yards per attempt (7.7) — for context, Roethlisberger was at 7.6 for his career and Pickett 6.3

2

Wilson’s starts in the Super Bowl; since he entered the league, only Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes have more (Peyton Manning also has two)

26

Touchdown passes thrown by Wilson over 15 games played in 2023, ninth-most in the NFL and more than the Steelers had from three quarterbacks in aggregate over 34 games in the 2022 and 2023 seasons (25)

29

Career rushing touchdowns by Wilson, tied with Lamar Jackson for the fourth-most among active quarterbacks

$1.21 million

The amount (the league minimum for a 13-year veteran) the Steelers are paying Wilson this season to play for them

$38 million

Approximate amount the Denver Broncos are paying Wilson this season while not playing for them

$85 million

The “dead money” salary-cap hit the Broncos must endure over the next two seasons

$26 million

The “dead money” salary-cap hit the Seattle Seahawks endured in 2022 after trading Wilson

$111 million

The total amount of “dead money” teams have endured after cutting ties with Wilson

$103 million

Total amount (rounded) of “dead money” the Steelers endured combined over the 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 seasons. Counting the instances for whom the Steelers absorbed dead-money cap hits over multiple seasons, there were 235 players added up to account for that figure

$266.4 million

The amount Wilson has earned over his NFL career, fourth-most in NFL history

6th

Wilson’s ranking among all NFL players (among contracts active Monday) in total cash earned in 2024

30th

Ranking among 32 teams for the Steelers in regards to cash to be paid to their 2024 projected starting QB (San Francisco’s Brock Purdy is due $985,000, Tennessee’s Will Levis is due $1.184 million)

18th

Wilson’s rank, among the 32 NFL quarterbacks who threw the most passes last season, in Pro Football Focus’ QB grading (Pickett was 23rd)

3.06 seconds

Average time after the snap Wilson attempted a pass last season (per Next Gen Stats), the third-longest among 45 qualifying NFL quarterbacks in 2023

2

Seasons in which Wilson has led the NFL in times sacked (both since 2019)

4.6

Yards downfield, on average, of Wilson’s completions in 2023 (per Next Gen Stats, 38th in the league. Pickett was at 4.9.)

27%

Rate of Wilson’s passes that were thrown to targets behind the line of scrimmage in 2023 (per Sharp Football Analysis), the highest of any quarterback in any season (min. 300 total attempts) since 2005

13

TD passes thrown while under pressure in 2023 (per PFF), most in the NFL

54%

Percent of Wilson’s passes thrown 20 or more yards downfield in 2023 that were “on target” (per Sports Info Solutions), the ninth-best rate in the NFL

7

Total number of starts by a quarterback in 2023 who was age 36 or older on the day of the game he started. Wilson turns 36 during the week in which the Steelers will have seven games remaining in their 2024 season

0

Number of NFL quarterbacks age 36 or older who started more than five games in 2023