Since the Las Vegas Raiders hired his former head coach, Pete Carroll, there has been some rumors and speculation about quarterback Russell Wilson possibly reuniting with Carroll in Las Vegas.
The connection makes sense. On top of Wilson’s relationship with Carroll, the Raiders are in the market for a quarterback this offseason after once again failing to secure a long-term solution in 2024. Wilson would offer a solid bridge option for Las Vegas, a team that my also take a quarterback in the 2025 NFL Draft.
There used to be some bad blood between Carroll and Wilson, as the latter wanted the former to get fired before he ultimately departed Seattle. However, as Jeff Howe of The Athletic reported, they have since “mended fences.”
“With Pete Carroll taking over the Raiders, one name I’ve heard to watch at QB: Russell Wilson,” Howe reported. “They’ve mended fences, per source, and Wilson could be a stopgap while the Raiders develop a long-term answer.”
Adding more fuel to the rumors, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport noted that Wilson to the Raiders is something to keep an eye on. And Rapoport also noted that Wilson actually wanted to play for the Raiders last year before landing in Pittsburgh.
“The Raiders still need (a quarterback). Keep an eye on this: one of (Pete Carroll’s) good friends is still Russell Wilson, the Steelers quarterback. My understanding is Russell Wilson wanted to play for the Raiders last year, did not happen,” Rapoport said. “Look for that union, potentially, to be discussed.”
When asked about the rumors pertaining to the Raiders swirling around him while down at the Pro Bowl this week, Wilson made it quite clear that his focus is on the Steelers, not the Raiders.
“I’m looking forward to hopefully going back to the Steelers and we’ll see what happens with the rest,” he said, according to Mark Long of the Associated Press. “I love it in Pittsburgh.”
