by Matthew Cassidy

It happened in the wee hours of the morning, while the east coast media was sound asleep. In case you missed it, Seattle Seahawks quarterback, Russell Wilson, became the NFL’s highest-paid player.

The four-year, $140-million extension includes a $65-million signing bonus and makes him the latest player to hold the ‘highest-paid’ title belt. He won’t hold it for long (see Mahomes, Patrick), but it ensures that Wilson, 30, will be thrilling CenturyLink crowds with his dual-threat play for the remainder of his prime years.

It also removes the biggest chip from the 2020 free agent class from the table, effectively squashing what could have been one of the biggest subplots to the 2019 season.

That would seem to suit Russell Wilson well. In a star-studded league of prima donnas, where boorish behavior draws you the biggest headlines, Wilson is Mr. Bland.

The biggest off-field headlines he’s garnered have been his light-hearted baseball endeavors and a high-profile marriage to Ciara (who you could argue is more famous than him).

Combine that with the Pacific Northwest cocoon and you start to understand how a guy could post a Canton-worthy resume and yet finish his career underappreciated.

Where to begin? For starters, the dude just wins. Since Wilson entered the league in 2012, he has 23 game-winning drives, trailing only Detroit’s Matthew Stafford (27). The Seahawks are 75-36-1 in that span (.669). He’s never been part of a losing season and has only missed out on the playoffs one time (2017).

Despite this, Wilson is rarely mentioned in the same discussions as Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees & Ben Roethlisberger. In reality, Wilson holds the same number of titles as Rodgers and Brees (one) and has a higher, career passer rating than Brady and Big Ben (100.3, 94.2, 97.6, respectively).

While Brady is undoubtedly an all-time great, it’s undeniable the Patriots’ cause has been aided by their residence in the lackluster, AFC East. Contrast that to Wilson, who plays in the topsy-turvy NFC West, where every team has made a Super Bowl appearance in the last decade.

The versatility of his game makes finding a comp difficult. He’s never mentioned as a prolific passer, and yet no one has more touchdown passes over the last two seasons (79). He’s not a high-volume thrower, but has posted two, 4,000 yard campaigns.

And, his mobility in the pocket, combined with his elusiveness, has kept countless plays alive like this one. In 2017, he put up elite passing numbers despite the complete lack of a run game (he actually lead the team in rushing with 586 yards).

Regardless of public opinion, this new contract puts Russell Wilson in elite company. If his career arc continues at a reasonable rate, it will be difficult to make a case otherwise, when all is said and done.