Griffin III defends Russell Wilson as NFL legends slam benched Giants QB
Griffin pushes back on criticism from Gonzalez and Sherman as Wilson faces a quarterback shuffle and questions about his Hall of Fame trajectory.
Robert Griffin III defended Russell Wilson on X Tuesday, pushing back against comments from Tony Gonzalez and Richard Sherman that criticized the longtime Giants quarterback after his latest NFL stop in New York. Wilson was benched this week in favor of rookie Jaxson Dart following an 0-3 start, as New York pivots to the first-year quarterback for the season’s stretch run. Griffin’s post highlighted the social debate surrounding Wilson’s career arc and the way former teammates discuss him in public.
Griffin wrote on X, "They doing Russell Wilson so dirty. I never hear former teammates attack Eli Manning and his record or how he performed outside of the 2 Super Runs they had. That ain't right." The remarks underscored the divide between praise for Wilson’s peak years and scrutiny of his post-Seattle career as he tries to regain footing with the Giants.
During halftime of the Seahawks' 23-20 win over the Cardinals on Thursday Night Football, Gonzalez and Sherman debated Wilson's Hall-of-Fame status and how much his career has shifted since leaving Seattle. Gonzalez asserted that Wilson’s career might fall short of Hall-of-Fame standards, while Sherman cautioned that much of Wilson’s success came with Seattle’s defense behind him. "If ever there was somebody who played himself out of a Hall of Fame, it's Russell Wilson," Gonzalez said, and Sherman added, "Without that legendary defense, he’s been 4-11, 7-8, 0-3 to start with the Giants." Wilson has maintained he still has years left and remains focused on helping the Giants turn their season around.
The discussion extended beyond the TV broadcast, drawing renewed attention to Wilson’s career after his departure from Seattle. Wilson, 36, answered questions from reporters after practice in East Rutherford, saying he’s not done and that he believes in his ability to contribute if called upon. "I’ve got so much belief in myself and I know what I’m capable of. I know I can help this football team if that comes up," he said. Through five games with New York, Wilson had accumulated 778 passing yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions, a stat line that has fed the scrutiny as the Giants weighed their options at quarterback.
The team's pivot to Dart became official after Wilson’s two-interception showing against the Chiefs in the Chiefs’ 22-9 victory on SNF. Dart, whom New York drafted 25th overall in 2025, is set to make his first NFL start Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers at MetLife Stadium, with kickoff scheduled for 1 p.m. ET. The move represents a calculated gamble by the Giants as they evaluate the viability of their post-Wilson plan and how Dart might develop while Wilson continues to navigate a high-profile quarterback transition.
Wilson’s career has spanned stops in Seattle, Denver, Pittsburgh and New York, with early success highlighted by a Super Bowl championship and two trips to the big game. The latest chapter—marked by his benching and the shift to the Giants’ rookie—has intensified arguments about the longevity of his peak, the impact of changing teams, and how legacy is evaluated when a player leaves a defining franchise. As Dart prepares to debut, the league watches to see whether Wilson can still influence a struggling offense or if his era in New York will cap with mixed results. The coming weeks will test not only Wilson’s performance but also the narratives that followed him throughout his career, including the framing of his legacy by teammates and analysts who once stood with him on the field.