Russell Wilson remains committed to performing in Pittsburgh despite Raiders rumors after Pete Carroll’s move

After coming off the bench after a pre-season injury, Russell Wilson led the Pittsburgh Steelers to the postseason.

Russell Wilson remains committed to performing in Pittsburgh despite Raiders rumors after Pete Carroll’s move

Russell Wilson, Pete Carroll (Images via Imago/SI)

Russell Wilson has clarified that his primary goal is to re-sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers, despite ongoing rumors linking him to the Las Vegas Raiders and a potential reunion with former head coach Pete Carroll. Wilson and Caroll led the Seattle Seahawks to their first championship in 2014, overpowering the Denver Broncos.

Wilson joined the Steelers on a veteran-minimum contract in 2024 while still being paid by the Broncos. He has now reiterated his desire to return after Pittsburgh’s early playoff exit at the hands of the Baltimore Ravens. During a January 22 appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, he even stated his hope to finish his career in Pittsburgh.

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According to Mark Long of the Associated Press, Wilson acknowledged that he loves the city and wishes to remain there.

I’m looking forward to hopefully going back to the Steelers and we’ll see what happens with the rest. I love it in Pittsburgh.

Russell Wilson said

He reverberated his thoughts on the subject when asked about his opinions on Pete Caroll joining the Raiders.

Pete’s going to be a great coach, obviously. He’s great at what he does. But I’m focused on the Steelers.

Russell Wilson added

Wilson and Caroll share a long history that included a Super Bowl championship in 2014 defeating Peyton Manning in the titular game. The duo reached another Super Bowl the following year but lost to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLIX.

Their partnership eventually ended in 2022, when Wilson was traded to the Denver Broncos. Reports later surfaced that Wilson had wanted Carroll fired before the trade, a claim the QB denied. However, Jeff Howe of The Athletic recently reported that Wilson and Carroll have “mended fences,” which was the primary tip-off for the new rumors.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are yet to finalize a deal on their new quarterback

The Pittsburgh Steelers have been one of the most unfortunate teams in the NFL. Mike Tomlin has led the Steelers to a winning record in all seasons as the head coach – however, the ultimate glory remains shy of them.

Russell Wilson
Russell Wilson (Image via B/R)

Amid the same, Steelers owner and president Art Rooney II is yet to make a firm commitment on their QB. Rooney recently stated that his preference would be to sign either Wilson or Justin Fields for next season, but not both.

I think both of them see themselves as starters, and I don’t know that they want to share the same job again next year. So, I would say most likely we probably don’t wind up bringing them both back.

Art Rooney said, per ESPN’s Brooke Pryor

The age factor is also a concern in Wilson’s case. Rooney has expressed that he would prefer the new quarterback be signed for a multi-year role. Justin Fields’ case gains more ground in this circumstance as he turns only 26 in March.

If Pittsburgh ultimately opts to move forward with Fields, Wilson could reassess his options and consider a move to Las Vegas. For now, Wilson remains steadfast in his commitment to the Steelers.

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