Wilson revealed the news himself at the BTIG Charity Day event in New York, speaking to Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post.
"It was great," Wilson said of his Jets visit. "They offered me, and I'm trying to figure out what the next best thing is for me to do. I still know I can play ball at a high level. But also I have an opportunity to do TV, so we'll see what happens."
The Jets are the only team to have made Wilson a contract offer this offseason, now more than two months after he became a free agent following the expiration of his one-year deal with the New York Giants.
Wilson's market has been almost entirely quiet since February, a reflection of how his 2025 season played out.
He went 0-3 as a starter for the Giants before being benched in favor of rookie Jaxson Dart, completing 58 percent of his passes for 831 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions.
The Jets offer would make him Geno Smith's backup, reuniting him with a quarterback he spent three seasons alongside in Seattle before Wilson was traded to Denver and Smith eventually took over as the Seahawks' starter.
The TV Competition
The Athletic's Andrew Marchand reported that Wilson is in deep discussions with CBS about a role on The NFL Today, the network's flagship Sunday pregame show, and that the two sides have had lengthy talks.
NFL insider Ari Meirov posted that a future in television this season appears to be a real scenario.
Russell Wilson says the New York Jets offered him a contract but he's also weighing opportunities in TV broadcasting, per @nypostsports pic.twitter.com/0Ea4FGTlIN
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) May 6, 2026
Wilson has earned more than $315 million across his career and has nothing financially compelling him toward a backup quarterback contract worth near the league minimum of $1.3 million.
He has a legitimate broadcast opportunity at a major network that would keep him connected to the game without the physical demands of professional football at 37 years old.
And the Jets, while they have Geno Smith at the top of the depth chart and reasons to believe they can compete in the AFC East, remain the organization that has not made the playoffs since 2010 and carries the weight of that history into every offseason.
What the Jets Are Getting If He Signs
Wilson's backup credentials are better than the current alternatives.
His career 90.8 passer rating across 17 games in 2024 and 2025 combined compares favorably to the 51.0 mark Bailey Zappe posted in 2024 and Brady Cook's 55.4 last season.
He made 202 career starts with a 121-80-1 record, won a Super Bowl, made ten Pro Bowls, and despite everything that has happened in Denver, Pittsburgh, and New York, has rarely been injured.
𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚: The Jets have made veteran QB Russell Wilson a contract offer for next season, per @nypost
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) May 6, 2026
"They offered me, and I'm trying to figure out what the next best thing is for me to do. I still know I can play ball at a high level, but I also have an opportunity to… pic.twitter.com/69xtbb9PxX
He would give New York a veteran backup with starting experience who already has a relationship with Smith and understands what it takes to operate a professional offense.
The decision is his to make. He said he is still training every day and staying ready to play.
Photo Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images
