National Football League

Seahawks ship Russell Wilson to Broncos in blockbuster deal

Updated Jan. 17, 2023 2:17 p.m. ET

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The Seattle Seahawks have traded longtime franchise quarterback Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos.

Wilson, who had a no-trade clause in the four-year contract he signed in 2019, has since approved the deal, bringing his 10-year run with the Seahawks — which included a Super Bowl XLVIII victory — to an end. 

Seattle will receive two first-round picks, two second-round picks and a fifth-round choice, along with three veteran players, tight end Noah Fant, defensive end Shelby Harris and quarterback Drew Lock.

Denver receives Wilson and a fourth-round pick.

Both the Seahawks and Broncos jokingly reacted to the trade on Twitter, playing off of the movie "Cast Away."

In Wilson's 10 seasons with Seattle, he led the Seahawks to nine winning seasons and eight playoff berths. Seattle earned back-to-back Super Bowl trips in 2013 and 2014, defeating the Broncos 43-8 in Super Bowl XLVIII and falling 28-24 to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLIX.

With that Super Bowl win, he became the second Black starting QB to win a Lombardi Trophy, joining Super Bowl XXII winner Doug Williams. Wilson's new division rival Patrick Mahomes became the third when he won Super Bowl LIV.

Colin Cowherd received the news during Tuesday's edition of "The Herd," immediately calling it a win for Denver and also referring to the deal as one of the biggest NFL trades in his career.

"To me, this is great for Denver. Denver gets the quarterback. This is what I said about the Sixers-Nets trade. ‘Oh, the Nets gave up Ben Simmons and draft picks and Seth Curry and Andre Drummond.’ Who cares? Philadelphia got James Harden. The team that gets the star wins the trade. 

"The Denver Broncos are now in the Super Bowl bubble."

Russell Wilson to Denver Broncos is the "biggest NFL trade" of Colin Cowherd's career

Colin Cowherd explains why Tuesday's trade is a big win for Denver and officially gives the Broncos Super Bowl aspirations.

Wilson concludes his time with the Seahawks having accumulated a 104-53-1 regular-season record. He passed for 37,059 yards, 292 touchdowns and 87 interceptions, and made 144 consecutive regular-season starts from 2012-2020. He missed the only three starts of his Seattle career this past season after suffering a finger injury.

Wilson posted a 9-7 career postseason record with the Seahawks, winning at least one playoff game in his first five seasons with the franchise.

The list of franchise records owned by Wilson is extensive, including most career passing yards and most career passing touchdowns. He was also a nine-time Pro Bowler during his time in Seattle.

Of course, the sports world reacted quickly to the trade, including Broncos wide receiver Jerry Jeudy, who first reacted to the news that Denver would not trade for Aaron Rodgers earlier this morning … 

… before flipping that frown upside-down after the Wilson news.

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