“Always persevere, always have a great perspective, and always have great purpose in your life.” – Russell Wilson
Indeed, a mantra that has firmly established Russell Wilson’s dedication to excellence as an elite quarterback in the NFL, an innovative business entrepreneur, and a community leader.
Growing up in Richmond, Virginia, Russell developed a love for football at a young age. After high school, Russell went played collegiate football at North Carolina State and the University of Wisconsin where he set numerous records and garnered national acclaim. His success led him to be drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in 2012. In his ten seasons with the team, Russell led the Seahawks to more wins than any other quarterback in team history, including a victory in Super Bowl XLVIII (2013). In 2014, he led Seattle to a second straight Super Bowl berth as a two-time NFC Champion (2013, 2014). He has been recognized as one of the league’s top quarterback with nine NFL Pro Bowl selections to date. Russell recently completed his 10th season with the Seahawks and he holds the NFL record for most regular season wins by a QB in his first nine seasons (98) and the second-highest passer rating in NFL history.
In Spring 2022, Russell signed with the Denver Broncos and started his first season with the team in Fall 2022. He is currently the quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Off the field, Russell has demonstrated a deep commitment to community service and cause work. In 2014, Russell founded The Why Not You Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to creating real and lasting change in the world by motivating and empowering today’s youth. In addition to financially supporting organizations aligned with the Foundation’s mission, Russell and his wife work to extend the Foundation’s impact by making weekly visits to Seattle Children’s Hospital where he lifts the spirits and brings joy to the hearts of patients and their families.
In the fall of 2021, Russell and Ciara celebrated the grand opening of the first Why Not You Academy, a tuition-free charter public high school they founded alongside educational leaders Garth Reeves and Scott Canfield. Why Not You Academy serves systemically underserved students just South of Seattle by providing an innovative and tailored learning experience.
In 2020, Russell co-hosted the ESPY Awards with Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe. He led the show with a moving speech about the fight for racial equality in response to movement for Black lives across the world.
He was recognized with NFL’s prestigious Walter Payton Man of the Year Award in 2021 which honored his longstanding commitment to giving back. He was also awarded the Bart Starr Award for his service, during the 2022 Super Bowl weekend. In the preceding year, he collaborated with Feeding America and Wheels Up to donate 10 million meals to families experiencing food insecurity as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Russell’s leadership, passion and business acumen have resulted in assembling an impressive and diverse portfolio of business ventures. He has landed major endorsements and global ambassadorships with companies including Nike, Microsoft, Wilson, Alaska Airlines, Bose, Amazon, Verizon and Fantatics and he is the lead investor in a Juice Press franchise and TruFusion in Seattle.
In 2016, Russell launched a men’s lifestyle apparel line, Good Man Brand, which is sold by major department stores including Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus, in addition to having a partnership with Amazon Fashion. The brand’s ethos is drawn from traits Russell found in the good men in his life and the clothing aims to bring out the best in its customers by helping them look good and feel good, so they can live life, work hard and help others.
In 2020, Russell expanded his fashion empire with Ciara and together they created The House of LRC, based upon the principles of Love, Respect, and Care. The House of LR&C includes the already established Good Man Brand, Human Nation, a line that promotes the ideas of community, inclusivity, and sustainability, and Lita, an accessible, luxury line for women.
As an extension of his work on the field, Russell and the late famed mental conditioning coach Trevor Moawad founded Limitless Minds, a business coaching consultancy dedicated to optimizing performance and enriching culture within some of the world’s top organizations and elite performers.
Russell also established the Russell Wilson Quarterback Academy as a springboard to develop quarterback prospects using unique and cutting-edge curriculum based on his own experiences and knowledge. The quarterback school exists as an extension of the Russell Wilson Passing Academy, a summer football camp for children of all ages. Since its inception in 2012, the RWPA has held camps in nine cities and worked with more than 9,000 children. Continuing his commitment creating opportunities for kids to play football, he was recently named the Chairman of NFL Flag and helped found the Russell Wilson NFL Flag league in Seattle.
Russell and Ciara also recently announced Why Not You Productions, their production company focused on scripted and unscripted film, television, and digital content projects. Projects through the shingle will focus on inspiring and aspiring narratives and human interest stories. Russell also heads Seattle-based West2East, a brand management, creative content and production company.
