NY Giants QB Russell Wilson Explains Why He Values Preseason Snaps

One of the first orders of business for the blue summer was head coach Brian Daboll confirming that Wilson would serve as the starting quarterback for the 2025 season despite the presence of younger veteran Jameis Winston and touted rookie Jaxson Dart. 

Yet, Wilson has taken advantage of his reps despite long advancing past the need for the preseason.

Wilson claimed that he always recalls his first preseason in the Pacific Northwest with the Seattle Seahawks, when he went from late-third round choice to instant starter back in 2012. The summer snaps, he further declared, keep him young as he continues to hold starting duties into his late 30s.

I remember my first touchdown pass. I remember my first game, which I won. I remember the second one, when we went to Denver on that one, played well, and I think it’s just football," Wilson said. 

"It’s the game that we love and we have a great quarterback room, guys that are confident, guys that play ball and I think that and the end of the day, when we put the work in and translate it and make practice harder than the game, that’s when it works out for you so I think all those things I go back to."

"Every year, I feel like I’m a rookie all over again just because of the gratitude that you have. The gratitude just to be able to step out on the field, and you never lose that juice and that energy for that, so that’s the fun part."

Wilson rewarded those that showed up to MetLife Stadium on time with the game's primary highlight on the Giants' first possession: having played it relatively safe in last week's opener in Buffalo, Wilson let it fly with an 80-yard hook-up with undrafted freshman Beaux Collins, who took the deep ball to the cusp of the goal line before Devin Singletary punched in the first score of the game two plays later.

"That was pretty cool," a giddy Wilson said of his lengthy lob. "We had a play set up where he could go down on the deep post, and obviously (WR Darius) Slay(ton) was kind of going down the sideline, and I just saw Beaux kind of even, and you’re leaving. He’s got great speed, and just the line did a great job on that, giving enough time. It was a massive play by him. He did a great job, so that was fun."

Another attempt to find Collins on a deep ball did not go according to plan, as a midcommunication led to Wilson being intercepted by Qwan'tez Stiggers on a drive where he was sharing "stealth snaps" with Dart. 

Wilson nonetheless spoke highly of the metropolitan "camaraderie" developed in these game situations, which saw the Giants (2-0) take down the Buffalo Bills' prospects last weekend in Orchard Park.

“The locker room, the sideline, just how connected we are, the defense, the offense, the special teams, we’re all having a blast," Wilson said, noting that the Giants' recent success has come without star receiver Malik Nabers on the field. 

"We were playing two tough AFC teams, the Buffalo Bills and then obviously the Jets and then obviously the (New England) Patriots coming up Thursday, so it just really gets us ready. 

“The line is doing a tremendous job. They’re giving us enough time to make plays. I think it gave me enough time to make some big-time throws and guys making some big-time catches, and I think, running the ball, we’re running it well too."

"(Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator Mike) Kafka and Dabs (Head Coach Brian Daboll) and the whole offensive staff are doing a great job of putting us in a good position to be successful," Wilson continued, moving on to his new coaching staff. 

"I think our practice habits have been great. So, to be able to take the practice all week, where we had a good week of practice, and then come out in the game and put up 31 points and do all the things we were able to do and make some really big explosive plays, I mean, that’s the exciting thing for us."

Saturday was also an unofficial, if not victorious, return to one of Wilson's most famous victories, namely that of Super Bowl XLVIII. As the Seattle Seahawks' quarterback, he oversaw a 43-8 victory over the Denver Broncos in a metro-branded Big Game.

Time will tell if Wilson continues to take the field, as the Giants close the preseason out on Thursday night at home against the Patriots (8 p.m. ET, WNBC/Amazon Prime Video).

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