Investing

Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson gives linemen Amazon stock that could be worth a bundle

Key Points
  • Wilson gave $156,000 worth of Amazon stock to the 13 offensive linemen, or $12,000 each.
  • The news comes less than a week after Wilson signed a four-year deal with the Seahawks worth $140 million. The contract makes him the highest-paid player in the league on an annual basis.
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson with the Vince Lombardi championship trophy at MetLife Stadium
Getty Images

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson became the highest-paid player in the National Football League earlier this month. Now, he's spreading the wealth to the players assigned with protecting him.

Wilson gave $156,000 worth of Amazon stock to the 13 offensive linemen, or $12,000 each. The news was first reported by TMZ Sports on Monday and was later confirmed by Wilson's media production company, West2East Empire.

"You sacrifice your physical and mental well-being to protect me, which in turn allows me to provide care for my family," Wilson wrote in a letter to his linemen. "Now it is my turn to return the favor."

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Wilson's gift could be a lucrative one for his linemen if Amazon keeps its sharp returns going. Over the past 10 years, Amazon shares have posted a return of about 2,200%, according to FactSet. If that same performance is replicated over the next decade, each of the linesmen's Amazon stake would be worth north of $270,000. To be sure, past performance does not indicate future returns and should never be the sole reason for making an investment.

The news comes less than a week after Wilson signed a four-year deal with the Seahawks worth $140 million. The contract makes him the highest-paid player in the league on an annual basis.

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