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Raiders Linked to Russell Wilson-Pete Carroll Reunion After Contentious Split

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Sean Deveney | Last updated Jan 24, 2025 5:50 PM ET

One of the mysteries of the 2025 NFL offseason figures to be the same as one of the mysteries of the 2024 NFL offseason. Namely, where will Russell Wilson play?

Wilson was let go by the Broncos despite a massive cap hit last winter, which cost Denver a record $85 million in dead money. He made $32 million of that in the 2024 season, which freed him to sign a minimum $1.2 million contract with Pittsburgh. His tenure with the Steelers, though, was marked by a hot start--6-1 in his first seven outings--and a dreadful finish.

In fact, a five-game losing streak for the Steelers with Wilson at the helm might well have doomed any future he had in Pittsburgh.

A year ago, and even in more recent weeks, Wilson has been linked to the Raiders as a possible "bridge" quarterback, should Las Vegas seek a young passer in the NFL draft. But that was before the team pulled a surprise on Friday and hired 73-year-old Pete Carroll, the oldest head coach in the league.

Carroll and Wilson, of course, have an extensive history, paired as coach-QB for a decade in Seattle, where they reached two Super Bowls and won one.

But by 2021, the relationship soured, and reports emerged of preferential treatment Wilson expected from the club. The Seahawks traded him to the Broncos and details about the split made for an especially messy divorce.

Thus, there is some doubt that Carroll and Wilson might seek a quick marriage in Vegas.

With Pete Carroll taking over the Raiders, one name I’ve heard to watch at QB: Russell Wilson.

They’ve mended fences, per source, and Wilson could be a stopgap while the Raiders develop a long-term answer.
— Jeff Howe (@jeffphowe) January 24, 2025

But, according to NFL insider Jeff Howe of The Athletic, it's quite the opposite. Carroll and Wilson might actually seek out a partnership.

Howe wrote on Twitter/X: "With Pete Carroll taking over the Raiders, one name I’ve heard to watch at QB: Russell Wilson. They’ve mended fences, per source, and Wilson could be a stopgap while the Raiders develop a long-term answer."

The Raiders have their coach and a new GM, John Spytek. There remains much to be figured out on the roster itself, and finding a quarterback is Job One. Wilson could, at least, be a factor in that.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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