Russell Wilson: Pittsburgh is a special place, hopefully I get to play there a lot longer

Russell Wilson would like to stay with the Steelers.

Set to be a free agent in March after completing his one-year deal with Pittsburgh, the 36-year-old quarterback said during a Wednesday interview with the Pat McAfee Show that he loved playing with Pittsburgh in 2024.

“Going into Pittsburgh was a special place for me,” Wilson said. “Hopefully I get to play there for a lot longer. It’s a special place because of the guys in the locker room, the traditions, and the people, and the winning, and all of that. Plus, you’ve got Mike Tomlin, who’s arguably the best coach of all time — one of the top ones, just because of who he is and how he motivates us. Even through the storm, I think we battled and a lot of that was because of coach Tomlin and who he is and how he makes us prepare.”

Wilson, who was a third-round pick in 2012, does not appear to have any plans to stop playing.

“Obviously, this year was an exciting year in a lot of ways. It was tough at the end. Obviously, we didn’t get it done. But I’ve got so much more in me, man. I’m excited. Obviously, my goal is to be with the Pittsburgh Steelers a long time and, hopefully, finish my career there. … I’ve always gone against the odds and people doubting. I think that’s just part of my nature. I don't know if that’s little-man syndrome or what. But I love ball, man. I love competing every day. And I love getting after it. Anybody that knows me, knows that I’m going to do everything I can to be my best for the longest time possible.”

Wilson started 11 games for Pittsburgh in 2024, completing 63.7 percent of his throws for 2,482 yards with 16 touchdowns and five interceptions. But the Steelers lost their last five games — including the postseason game against Baltimore — failing to score at least 20 points in each contest.

That’s part of why whether or not Wilson will continue his career with Pittsburgh is still an open question.