Lee Majors became the “Six Million Dollar Man” in 1973. Russell Wilson could become the $60 Million Man for 2023.
And with a good year, Wilson might be the third Broncos quarterback to lead the NFL in annual salary.
Robert Ripley wouldn’t believe a franchise in a disregarded time zone and dusty old cowboy town that had 50 of the lousiest quarterbacks has been the home of three of the greatest and highest-paid quarterbacks: The Duke, The Sheriff and DangerRuss.
Wilson, who will rank eighth among quarterbacks in 2022 at $24 million, is scheduled in 2023 to be in the final season of a four-year, $140 million agreement and make $27 mil before being an unrestricted free agent in 2024. But the Broncos certainly will offer a new deal by next March. Wilson, who turns 34 on Nov. 29, says he wants to play another 12 seasons and win his second and third Super Bowls and more. Another championship would elevate him to the elite category with John Elway and Peyton Manning. More would threaten Joe Montana’s four Super Bowl titles, and playing into his mid-40s could duplicate Tom Brady’s longevity mark.
Russell may surpass Aaron Rodgers soon, though. The Packers’ quarterback signed a contract that will reach $59,301,661 if he still is playing in 2025. Russell and his agent, Mark Rodgers (no relation), have used Aaron’s numbers in the past to establish their own deal demands.
So, Wilson and the Broncos might reach a six-year, $450 million settlement starting at $60 million and reaching $100 million in the concluding season with a significantly loftier guarantee than the $230 million in the recent Deshaun Watson contract with the Browns.
As with the price of poker, the cost of quarterbacks is going up. Fourteen quarterbacks have $100 million contracts, and the NFL is being forced finally to match baseball and basketball for long-term guarantees.
Wilson’s last contract extension with the Seahawks in April 2019, which included a $65 million, set the NFL mark, but has been overtaken often, especially by Patrick Mahomes (on a 12-year deal).
It is well to remember that Elway frequently was No. 1 in annual salaries (topping at $10 mil) and Manning signed a five-year, $96 million contract when he joined the Broncos after securing $21 million for one year from the Colts.
The Broncos paid a total of $7.1 million in 2021 to Teddy Bridgewater ($4.5), Drew Lock ($1.9) and Brett Rypien ($700,000).
Wilson’s remuneration this season will be the most ever for a Broncos player, but he already is beginning to earn it.
The former baseball player invited 11 offensive players to his secondary home north of San Diego for their version of spring training.
He took control at Camp Russell.
Wide receivers Courtland Sutton, Tim Patrick, KJ Hamler and Kendall Hinton, tight ends Albert Okwuegbunan and Andrew Beck, offensive linemen Lloyd Cushenberry and Garret Bolles and quarterbacks Rypien and Josh Johnson gathered at the Spanish-style villa surrounded by hedges, a fence and tall palm trees, with a football-soccer field, tennis, pickleball and basketball courts, a full-scale gym full of equipment, a swimming pool and a meeting room.
Wilson served as host, quarterback, coach and cheerleader. He threw passes, handed out copies of his personal playbook, and got to know teammates. Jerry Jeudy, who had a family health issue, flew in days later for a one-on-one session with Wilson that lasted into darkness and had the quarterback coaching up the receiver.
Russell produced Instagram videos that didn’t show an errant fling or a dropped ball.
If only Nathaniel Hackett runs such smooth practices.
The head coach will do a meet-and-greet on April 11 when the Broncos begin their off-season program at Dove Valley, but they’ll be restricted to rehabilitation and conditioning. The Broncos can take the field for workouts April 25-27 just before the NFL draft and will continue to conduct voluntary minicamps throughout May and June before camp opens in July.
The Russell Wilson Band is ahead of the game.
Next year, after signing a gargantuan new contract, Russell also can build a theme park — Wilson World — on his property.
The Six Million Dollar Man would be worth about $40 mil next year in current money. Wilson will be worth more in today’s quarterback market.
More from The Woody Paige Sports Network:
- Woody Paige: That time I played blackjack with Michael Jordan in Monte Carlo
- John Elway’s 7 best moments as General Manager of the Denver Broncos
- Woody Paige: Ranking the Denver Broncos head coaching candidates
- Woody Paige: A tribute to the legendary John Madden
- MLB’s labor woes are a long way from being over
