Free agent quarterback Russell Wilson says he is “focused” on re-signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers amid rumors that he could join his former head coach Pete Carroll with the Las Vegas Raiders.

“I’m looking forward to hopefully going back to the Steelers and we’ll see what happens with the rest. I love it in Pittsburgh,” Wilson told Mark Long of the Associated Press.

When asked about Carroll and the Raiders, Wilson answered: “Pete’s going to be a great coach, obviously. He’s great at what he does. But I’m focused on the Steelers.”

After news broke of Carroll’s hiring, The Athletic’s Jeff Howe described Wilson “one name I’ve heard to watch” in the Raiders’ quarterback search.

Wilson and Carroll spent ten seasons together with the Seattle Seahawks, where they defeated the Denver Broncos to win Super Bowl XLVIII following the 2013 season.

The Seahawks lost to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLIX the following season and never made it back to the championship game.

The Athletic later reported, and Wilson denied, that Wilson had wanted Carroll fired ahead of his 2022 trade to the Denver Broncos.

Howe reported that Wilson and Carroll have since “mended fences,” and described Wilson as a potential “stopgap” under center while the Raiders search for their next franchise quarterback.

Wilson, who signed a one-year veteran minimum contract with the Steelers while he was still being paid by the Broncos during the 2024 season, has said multiple times after Pittsburgh’s early playoff elimination that he would like to return for another run in black and gold.

The quarterback said immediately after the Steelers’ elimination by the Baltimore Ravens that he hopes to be in Pittsburgh next season, and added in a Jan. 22 appearance on the Pat McAfee Show that he wants to finish out his career with the Steelers.

Steelers owner and president Art Rooney II hasn’t been as firm in committing to Wilson.

Rooney said Monday that his “preference” would be to sign either Wilson or Justin Fields ahead of next season, but that he believes it is “probably unlikely” the Steelers will bring back both quarterbacks (h/t ESPN’s Brooke Pryor.)

“I think both of them see themselves as starters and I don’t know that they want to share the same job again next year,” Rooney said, per Pyror. “So, I would say most likely we probably don’t wind up bringing them both back.”

Rooney also added that he wants to sign whichever quarterback the Steelers land on to a multi-year contract, which could bring the quarterbacks’ age into consideration. Wilson is almost ten years older than Fields, who turns 26 in March.

If the Steelers decide to go with Fields in 2025, Wilson could reconsider seeking a job with the Raiders. At least for now, however, it looks like he has his sights set on a return to Pittsburgh.