The Denver Broncos new head coach Sean Payton sent shockwaves across the football world recently by taking a dig at the team’s last year coach Nathaniel Hackett to defend quarterback Russell Wilson. He marked Hackett’s one-year stint in Denver as one of the worst coaching jobs in the history of the NFL. Payton even took a subtle jab at the Broncos general manager George Paton and team president Damani Leech as well.
Though the Broncos quarterback witnessed the most disappointing season in his career last season, the 59-year-old coach seems to have his full trust in him and has defended the QB once again following last week’s controversial take.
Sean Payton defends Russell Wilson’s potential amid struggles
During an interview with The 33rd Team’s Trey Wingo, Payton expressed his confidence in Wilson saying he doesn’t believe the former Seattle Seahawks star has reached the end zone of his career following last season’s poor performance,
“I’m not a believer that, ‘Oh, he hit a wall and his time has come. I’m not in that camp.”
#Broncos HC Sean Payton explains that "the movie script needs to be right" for Russell Wilson to return to the way he played in Seattle.
"I'm not a believer that, 'oh, he hit a wall and his time has come.' I'm not in that camp."
Interview with @wingoz on @The33rdTeamFB:
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) August 2, 2023
The 34-year-old signal-caller couldn’t live up to the expectations after landing in Denver following his blockbuster trade as he recorded career lows with only a 60.5 completion percentage, 84.4 QB rating along with 3.3 touchdown percentage for the NFL bottom-ranked scoring unit. However, the franchise’s new HC said only a team effort could ensure the type of on-field success that the veteran QB missed last season,
“The movie script has to be right. That requires the right actor and the right producer, and then the right script for him to excel and for us to win as a team.”
How much was Russell Wilson’s contract with the Broncos?
Russell and the Broncos agreed to terms on a five-year extension worth up to $245 million with $165 million guaranteed including a $124 million fully guaranteed at signing. The fully guaranteed amount marks the second-most ever from a contract inside the NFL. He had two seasons remaining on his deal with the Seahawks and hence, the extension could keep him in Denver for the next seven years through the 2028 season.
Breaking: Broncos and Russell Wilson just reached agreement on a five-year, $245 million contract extension that includes $165 million guaranteed, sources tell ESPN.
Deal now ties Wilson to Denver for seven total years and $296 million. Another massive QB deal in the books. pic.twitter.com/uk6yelOL3j
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 1, 2022
The nine-time Pro Bowler received a $50 million signing bonus along with a fully guaranteed $20 million option for 2023 and a fully guaranteed $22 million option at signing. According to PFF, the veteran would get a $28 million salary in 2023 and a $39 million salary the following year.
Following Denver’s Hall of Famer Peyton Manning’s retirement after a Super Bowl-winning 2015 season, the franchise had been struggling to find a stable starter at the helm. Now, it remains to be seen if Wilson can bounce back to his earlier form and can continue Peyton’s legacy to push the Broncos toward an upward trajectory.
