New York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson warms up during minicamp. John Jones-Imagn Images

NFL insider predicts whether two Seahawks legends will make it another season

Originally posted on Seattle Seahawks on SI
By Jon Alfano | Last updated Jun 26, 2025 11:00 AM ET

As hard as it may be to believe, the Seattle Seahawks' Super Bowl XLVIII victory was well over. a decade ago now. Naturally, most of the players who took part in that game have retired by now, and those who are still playing probably aren't far off from hanging up their cleats.

For instance, linebacker Bobby Wagner and quarterback Russell Wilson, two of the faces of the 2010s Seahawks, are now 34 (turning 35 on Friday) and 36, respectively. Even if they're still playing solid football, they are definitely in the twilight of their careers.

CBS Sports' Tyler Sullivan made predictions for whether or not Wagner, Wilson and other NFL veterans will retire after this season. For Wagner, he predicted that Wagner will keep playing in 2026 and potentially beyond.

"Wagner is entering his 14th season in the NFL and will be playing in his age-35 season," Sullivan wrote. "After a successful first season in Washington that featured an NFC Championship berth, the veteran re-signed with the Commanders, but only on a one-year deal. So, it's conceivable that he could be giving it one more run with the organization before mulling retirement.

"Like a good portion of these players, retirement may look more appealing depending on how Washington's 2025 season goes. While Wagner has a Super Bowl title on his résumé, if he were to hoist the Lombardi Trophy yet again, it would be a storybook ending. Beyond that, however, I think he rides with Dan Quinn for at least one more season beyond 2025 as he has plenty of fuel still in the tank. "

Wagner showed last year with the Commanders that he still has some gas left in the tank, recording 132 tackles and becoming a leader for the defense. He may not be quite as dominant as he once was, but he's still a very solid centerpiece for a defense that's still very young.

On the other hand, Sullivan predicted Wilson, who signed a one-year deal with the New York Giants back in March, to hang up his cleats after this season.

"The former Super Bowl champion was a backup option for the Giants after a failed pursuit of Matthew Stafford earlier this offseason," Sullivan wrote. "Even the Steelers opted to wait months for Aaron Rodgers rather than simply bring Wilson back into the fold. So, a retirement decision could be made for Wilson as a starting job may not be available to him, and it's hard to see him accepting a full-time backup role anywhere."

In 11 games with the Steelers last season, Wilson completed 63.7 percent of his passes for 2,482 yards, 16 touchdowns and five interceptions. He was serviceable but not spectacular, and the Steelers decided to go in a different direction.

With Wilson turning 37 in November, it would not be a surprise at all if this ends up being his final NFL season.

This article first appeared on Seattle Seahawks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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