In his mind, Russell Wilson can still be a starter. Shortly after being benched in favor of rookie Jaxson Dart in September, Wilson told reporters as much, saying, "I know how much more ball I have left in me."
Yet during a tumultuous year for the Giants, one that saw a coaching change, the debut of a franchise QB and more losses than anyone anticipated, Wilson emerged as a veteran mentor and soothing influence for Dart. In fact, shortly after learning the team was moving on from him as a starter, Wilson's first call ... was to Dart.
"From his perspective, losing the starting job was a hard thing to do, but, he was the first person to reach out to me after I talked to the coaches about it, just telling me he's got my back," Dart recalled in a phone call with NFL.com this week. "Saying he's here for me and whatever I need. That just spoke volumes to the kind of character that he has and the kind of man he is."
Dart noted the effort Wilson, who signed a one-year deal with New York in the offseason, put in and how challenging it must've been to be replaced. Yet Wilson turned into a veteran sounding board almost immediately. And to be frank, it was hard to imagine the 10-time Pro Bowler serving in this role earlier in his career.
Yet at age 37, this is where he is. Wanting to be a starter, but acknowledging his next role may be similar to that of this season.
As one member of the Giants organization described it, Wilson and Jameis Winston have been as professional as anyone could've hoped, with Wilson serving as the so-called caddy for Dart when he comes off the field.
And if you ask Dart, Wilson was pretty good at it.
"Coming into this thing, you never know how the veterans will react to having a young quarterback drafted high underneath them," said Dart, whom the Giants traded back into the first round to select at No. 25 overall.
"I was definitely curious, too. But from the moment I got here Russ has been nothing but just an amazing person, a great teammate, a really good mentor. He really cares about football, like he has an obsession, an addiction to the game. He just wants to win, and he'll do whatever that takes as a teammate, whether he's on the field or off the field."
Dart said Wilson will constantly ask him, What do you need? How can I help? Let's talk about your process, your study schedule. Every day, it's Wilson, Winston, and Dart "kind of closing this place down as players" while watching tape.
Wilson has had moments this season, including throwing for 450 yards and three TDs in a loss to the Cowboys. But a rough outing the following week led to Dart starting and, barring injuries, that's where Dart has remained.
Wilson's resume speaks for itself, with 10 Pro Bowls and two Super Bowl appearances, including one ring -- plus he's a Walter Payton Man of the Year winner, capable of impacting a community like he impacted the locker room.
Could a team looking for a bridge starter be interested? Either way, he's expected to have a role, just as he did this year morphing into the caddy role right when Dart comes off the field. It's possible this experience could help him in 2026.
"Russ has an ability to understand in that moment whether it's a time to say something to me or just back off and come back at a later time," Dart explained. "He's constantly helping me through things on the iPad, adjustments we can make. There is a lot of communication."
