Ciara has posted an emotional tribute to her husband Russell Wilson after he decided to retire from the NFL on Wednesday night.
The 10-time Pro Bowl quarterback and Super Bowl champion confirmed in a video posted to social media that that he’s walking away to take a job with CBS Sports.
Wilson’s announcement came two days after news broke that he was finalizing a deal to become an analyst on CBS’ Sunday NFL pregame show.
Ciara, the singer who has been married to Wilson since July 2016, sent a sweet message to him in the comments of his post.
She wrote: ‘The best in the world! There’s only one, 3!
‘Always so proud of you! It’s a true blessing to go on this journey with you! My greatest inspiration! I love you so much!’. Ciara included a GOAT eomoji.
Ciara posted an emotional tribute to her husband Russell Wilson after he retired from the NFL
The 10-time Pro Bowl quarterback and Super Bowl champion is leaving for a TV role with CBS
Wilson played 14 seasons after being taken by Seattle in the third round of the 2012 NFL draft out of N.C. State.
He spent his first 10 seasons with the Seahawks, leading them to their first Super Bowl championship in the 2013 season.
He was traded to Denver after the 2021 season and spent two rocky years with the Broncos before playing one season in Pittsburgh and another for the New York Giants.
Wilson threw for 46,966 yards, with 353 touchdown passes and 114 interceptions.
He joins Peyton Manning and Dan Marino as the only quarterbacks to throw at least 20 touchdown passes in each of their first three seasons and is one of seven quarterbacks to be selected to 10 Pro Bowls.
He said in the video: ‘As I enter this next chapter with CBS Sports and “The NFL Today”, I’m so blessed to continue doing what I love most – being around the greatest game in the world.’
In the video, which was about three minutes long, he thanked his teammates, friends and family and gave special thanks to former Seahawks coach Pete Carroll.
‘Thanks for taking a chance on a young, 5-11 Black kid from Richmond, Virginia, that was told he was too small to ever make it in the NFL,’ Wilson said.
He spent his first 10 seasons with the Seattle, leading them to their first Super Bowl win in 2014
Wilson will replace Matt Ryan, who joined the Atlanta Falcons as president of football after two seasons on “The NFL Today”.
He had considered returning for a 15th season, telling the New York Post last month that he was mulling an offer to join the New York Jets and back up Geno Smith.
His video featured highlights from his career and footage of him visiting patients at Seattle Children’s Hospital. It ended with him thanking Ciara, and the sport he dedicated his life to.
‘I thank you, football. … I am forever grateful,’ he said.
