When Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson was with the Seahawks, he made his name in a fashion rarely seen in football: geniality. He and easygoing coach Pete Carroll made for a perfect match as Wilson won a Super Bowl in 2013 and an NFC title a year later.
However, Carroll and Wilson seemed to wear on each other as time went on—even as an aging Wilson played some of the best football of his career in his 30s. A change was necessary, and Seattle traded Wilson to Denver in March 2022.
Now, Broncos coach Sean Payton is reportedly taking a different approach to Wilson. Where Carroll became renowned for his hands-off approach to his franchise quarterback, Payton reportedly laid into Wilson for focusing on his image over football, telling him to “stop kissing all the babies.”
Payton’s reported frankness shocked many, including ESPN analyst and former NFL defensive back Ryan Clark.
“This Sean Payton & Russell Wilson news is crazy,” Clark wrote on X. “If it works he’s a genius, & if it doesn’t... Well, never mind. It almost seems he hopes it doesn’t.”
Bruh… This Sean Payton & Russell Wilson news is crazy. Dude is going all the way opposite of how anyone has treated Russ or even thought about him. If it works he’s a genius, & if it doesn’t… Well, never mind. It almost seems he hopes it doesn’t.
— Ryan Clark (@Realrclark25) September 6, 2023
Clark’s eyebrow-raising suggestion that Payton intends to drive Wilson out of Colorado underscores how poorly the quarterback played in 2022 when he threw 16 touchdowns against 11 interceptions in Denver’s worst season since ’10.
The Broncos will have a chance to turn over a new leaf Sunday, when they host the Raiders in their opener.
