Last week, Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson turned 29. So how long does he want to keep playing football? A lot longer than he already has.
“I definitely wanna play until my mid-40s,” he said during a visit to the PFT PM podcast. “I think it’s something that I’ve been very passionate about, and taking care of my health and really trying to dive into the longevity now. . . . For me it’s an everyday process. I have a full-time trainer, Decker Davis, I have a full-time chef as well, Chef Andrea, and I have a full time [physical therapist] and massage person. . . . I’m constantly getting work and getting stretched so that way my body and be super mobile and can maneuver really well. That’s really key to feel fresh every day. I have always have had a big dream of playing for a long time. So that’s always key for me.”
That’s 16 more years of football. With so many franchise quarterbacks ending their careers with new teams, can Wilson envision finishing his career with a team other than the Seahawks?
“That’s a great question,” Wilson said. “I hope I never have to play for anybody other than the Seattle Seahawks. I think that reality is in professional sports things change and times change and coaches and people and everything else. . . . One of my dreams is to have always played for the same team for a really, really long time and my whole entire career. One of my favorite players in the world is Derek Jeter. I mean to think about Derek Jeter playing for the New York Yankees for 20-plus years and to be in New York City and play for that team and win multiple World Series. That is true excellence. That is a true legacy. I hope that I can do that. I hope I get the fortunate situation to be able to play for the Seattle Seahawks for 20-plus years. Guys like Kobe Bryant who played for the Lakers for 20-plus years.”
It’s Year Six for Wilson in Seattle, and he’s playing better than ever. If he keeps doing what he’s doing, there’s no reason to think the Seahawks won’t want him for as long as he’ll stick around.