Former Collegiate School star quarterback Russell Wilson, the first two-time All-Metro football player of the year, has been been recognized by the National Black Players Coalition (NBPC) as its quarterback of the century.
The NBPC announced the recognition in a Wednesday press release. Wilson, currently the starting QB for the New York Giants and the NFL leader in passing yards through two games this season with 618, was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, but grew up in Richmond and starred for the Cougars.
A household name, Wilson is a 10-time Pro Bowler and won Super Bowl XLVIII with the Seattle Seahawks. He played at at NC State and Wisconsin in his college career.
Wilson led Collegiate to three consecutive VISAA championships in 2004, 2005 and 2006. The 2005 and 2006 All-Metro POY, he finished his Collegiate career with 8,077 total yards and 105 touchdowns, 73 passing and 32 rushing.
The NBPC said Wilson is the first Black quarterback to be named the Giants’ starter to begin the season in the historic franchise’s 100-year history (1925-2025). This past Sunday, he threw for 450 yards, three TDs and an INT in the Giants’ 40-37 overtime loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
“Wilson’s success has continuously led to opening doors for others, especially for Black quarterbacks,” NBPC president and founder Fred Outten said in the press release.
The release also detailed Wilson’s charitable work, calling him a “consummate humanitarian” who has impacted each city he’s played in, from Seattle during his time with the Seahawks to Denver with the Broncos, Pittsburgh with the Steelers and now New York.
Through his nonprofit, the Why Not You Foundation, Wilson and his wife Ciara have donated millions of dollars in efforts to fund education and children’s health and fight poverty. In 2020, Wilson was the recipient of the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year honor. Wilson and Ciara serve on the Board of Directors of the V Foundation for Cancer Research.
At the 2025 ESPY Awards, he presented the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance, and Ciara presented the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award.
Wilson, 5-foot-11, was selected 75th overall in the third round of the 2012 NFL draft by the Seahawks. The NBPC release noted that NFL executives, at the time, doubted Wilson’s potential because of his height.
“Historically, Wilson was the first and only starting NFL Black quarterback to be celebrated and hosted at the White House by the first and only Black President of the United States, Barack Obama, along with his teammates and Seahawks organization for their Super Bowl (XLVIII) championship victory,” the NBPC said.
Prior to the 2025 season, Wilson had 46,135 yards passing, 5,462 yards rushing, a 99.8 QBR, 350 passing TDs and 111 interceptions in his career. Through the first nine season of his NFL career, Wilson won a record 98 games. Wilson was the second Black quarterback to win a Super Bowl, and the first Black QB to start back-to-back Super Bowls. He’s also the shortest QB to start and win a Super Bowl.
The NBPC is an ad hoc coalition seeking equal opportunity for African American men and women in the world of sports. It was founded on the campus of Howard University in 1994.
“The NBPC has pioneered the fight for justice on behalf of Black quarterbacks, Black head coaches, and Black women and men NFL broadcasters/sideline reporters, by monitoring closely the activities of the NFL with respect to its hiring practices,” the press release said.
