The Denver Broncos Failed Russell Wilson, Not the Other Way Around

Coming into the 2022 NFL season, the Denver Broncos were looking like an automatic playoff berth. They had a Top 5 defense and the argument could’ve been made that they were only missing one thing: a star quarterback.

When Denver acquired Russell Wilson, everyone and their mothers were ready to hand the AFC West to the Broncos. Plus, the team hired a new head coach, Nathaniel Hackett, who was coming off an OC job in Green Bay where his quarterback just won the MVP award.

And it made all the sense in the world for fans and media to be excited about this squad. Denver hadn’t had a winning season since 2016 and traded for one of the most winningest QBs of his era.

The 2022 season started with all eyes on Russ as the Broncos hosted his former team on Sunday Night Football. Denver lost 16-17 but it wasn’t Wilson’s fault. Here’s what he did in his Broncos debut:

340 yards
29-for-42 (69%)
1 touchdown
0 interceptions
101.3 passer rating

The Broncos didn’t lose because Russ was washed or devoid of talent.

They lost because their new, first-time head coach was in way over his head.

It was 4th and 5 with a minute remaining in the game. Denver had all of their timeouts. Nathaniel Hackett elected to let the clock drain to 20 seconds before making his kicker go out there to attempt a 64-yard field goal that everyone in the building knew didn’t stand a chance.

Despite how obvious it was that Hackett could not hack it (you see what I did there?), the narrative instantly centered around how terrible Russell Wilson was. It was as if people had waited Russ’s entire career for the opportunity to dunk on him.

It felt like there was a genuine joy in roasting Russ that didn’t actually match his play on the field. Sure, Wilson’s production had fallen off but he threw for more yards than Derek Carr. He threw fewer interceptions than Patrick Mahomes and Aaron Rodgers and had a higher yards per attempt than Dak Prescott.

Yet it was only Russell Wilson who became the laughingstock of the NFL.

The same NFL that allowed a star QB to rub his little wee wee on unsuspecting local massage therapists. Somehow every single move Russ made this season garnered more criticism than the serial sex offender—who still adamantly denies any wrongdoing and has shown zero signs of remorse or change.

Russell Wilson is a weirdo. Every video he posts looks like there’s someone on the other side of the camera holding a gun to his mother’s head.

Here’s a video of Russell awkwardly telling us about his alter ego: Mr. Unliiiiiiiiiimited.

The crying girl on tik tok is less cringe #RussellWilson pic.twitter.com/PbSszUCHOB

— The Get Back Coach (@TheGBCoach) August 5, 2020

This video sucks. It’s strange. It makes my skin hurt. I have to walk around my house for a second after watching this.

But it’s not any more or less cringy than whatever else these football players post to social media but for some reason, Russ is the one who is constantly mocked for this type of content.

The Denver Broncos finished 5-12 last season. Nathanial Hackett was fired but Wilson still ate a majority of the blame even though the defense took a massive step back from the previous season and the head coach had no idea how to use timeouts.

This week, the Athletic dropped a story meant exclusively to further destroy Russ’s reputation. An “anonymous source” claimed Russell Wilson asked Seattle ownership to fire Pete Carroll and John Schneider— the coach and GM— last February right before they traded him to Denver.

Russell Wilson responded to this story on Twitter:

I love Pete and he was a father figure to me and John believed in me and drafted me as well. I never wanted them fired. All any of us wanted was to win.

l’ll always have respect for them and love for Seattle.

— Russell Wilson (@DangeRussWilson) February 24, 2023

This story was clearly meant to make Russ look like some sort of ungrateful diva who believed he was more valuable to the Seahawks franchise than the head coach he won the Super Bowl with.

But is this truly a unique occurrence?

Russell Wilson and Pete Carroll worked together for a decade. Who among us hasn’t thought our boss was full of shit and should be fired? Only in sports do we think people should never have beef with their coworkers or supervisors because they’re “winning” or whatever arbitrary unimportant nonsense we think professional athletes should care about.

One time when I worked at a grocery store, I demanded my supervisor be fired. It was only my 5th shift working. I hadn’t even received my first direct deposit yet. I cannot imagine how many people I would’ve asked to be fired if I worked in that same building for a whole ass decade.

That Athletic report also details a story about Russ having his own office at the team facility and separating himself from his teammates:

The Broncos gave Wilson an office at the team facility, a rare perk (Wilson did not have an office in Seattle and Heaps had only limited access to the Seahawks’ facility). Several Broncos veterans said they didn’t mind Wilson having his own office, especially because the quarterback spent so much time at the facility.

But from the outside, the existence of the office worked against Wilson when his on-field play failed to measure up. And the location of the office — on the facility’s second floor, where Broncos coaches and executives also worked — created an unusual team dynamic.

“The players were always on the first floor; they never really came up to the second floor,” one coach said. “If you came up to the second floor as a player, it honestly wasn’t a good thing because you were probably getting released.”

One offensive player said Wilson told teammates he had an “open-door policy” with his office, which to another coach seemed problematic. “So, are you a coach or are you a player?” the coach asked. “Your open door should be you sitting at your locker.”

I don’t want to sit here and defend Wilson.

It’s definitely a bad look to have a second-floor office that makes everyone in the organization look at you as if you are more special than the other 52 men on the roster. That “open door policy” sounds condescending as hell. A wide receiver shouldn’t need to make an appointment in their quarterback’s Google calendar in order to discuss routes.

But who is truly at fault for these terrible optics?

Whether Russell Wilson asked for an individual office or not, the Denver Broncos are the ones who granted him that privilege. The story is framed to make Russ look like a selfish asshole when in actuality, any single one of us would gladly take any perks our job is willing to offer us.

Especially if you’re like Russ, who has been one of the best quarterbacks of his generation and had only played in Seattle for a franchise he believes didn’t treat him anywhere near as well as Denver was willing to when he landed in Colorado.

Of course he took the office and hang up posters on the walls with his little lame-ass quotes because, well, he could. It’s only a bad look if he sucks on the field and Wilson did not go into this season assuming he would suck.

Russell Wilson had a bad 2022 season.

But he is in no way deserving of all the blame, hate and condemnation he continues to receive from the media and fans. Russ didn’t play at his usual All-Star level but have you ever seen Carson Wentz play football?? There are far worse QBs out here throwing footballs directly into linebackers’ chests and sliding under the radar so we can pile on Russ for being corny in his Subway commercials.

Take a step back and ask yourself what really bothers you about Russell Wilson.

Is it because he comes off as phony? Really? So does literally every single quarterback in the history of history.

Is it because you think he’s overrated? Really? The same QB who has literally never gotten a first-place MVP vote?

As you read this, Ben Roethlisberger is at the local bar cornering women waiting in line for the bathroom but yes, let’s make fun of Russ because he’s weird.

What’s next for Russell Wilson and the Broncos?

Enter Super Bowl champion, Sean Payton.

I completely blame Nathaniel Hackett for the noxious vibes in the Broncos facility. It was his first time as a head coach and he pretty much let the team run itself. There isn’t a successful NFL head coach who would be described as “hands-off” the way Hackett was.

Sean Payton has more tools in his belt and is far more capable of adjusting an offense to Russ’s strengths than the previous regime.

Also, Russell Wilson will have been in Denver for a year now. He’s no longer the new guy at work who heats up fish in the microwave. He’s learned from his mistakes and I don’t think he’ll be hanging out in his upstairs office next season.

Whether the Broncos make the playoffs or not, let’s make sure we are being critical of the play on the field and not treating Russ like the worst human in the NFL. Unless of course you’re a Future fan in which case, I 10000% understand.

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