Russell Wilson — Broncos told me to adjust contract or be benched،
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. – Russell Wilson said days after helping orchestrate the Denver Broncos' first win over the Kansas City Chiefs since 2015, team officials approached him about adjusting a salary guarantee in his contract, and if he has not done so. , he would be “put on the bench for the rest of the year”.
Coach Sean Payton announced Wednesday that Wilson has lost his starting job to Jarrett Stidham for Sunday's home game against the Los Angeles Chargers. Payton said it was strictly a decision based “on winning” and “getting a spark offensively.”
But Wilson said Friday that the Broncos approached him about waiving a guarantee in the five-year, $242.6 million contract he signed in 2022, which would give the veteran quarterback, who already has a guaranteed $39 million in 2024 whether he's on the team or not, another $37 million (his 2025 salary) guaranteed if he fails to pass a physical during the fifth day of the new championship year in March.
Team sources said they hope to adjust the timing of that guarantee.
Speaking Friday, Wilson said team decision-makers told him “on Monday or Tuesday” after the Broncos' win over the Chiefs on Oct. 29 that they would bench him if he didn't adjust. not that $37 million guarantee.
“They definitely told me I was going to be benched and all that,” Wilson said. That whole bye week, I didn't know what was going to happen. I was going to be ready to play, I wanted to go to Buffalo and beat Buffalo. [Nov. 13]. …I wasn't going to take away the injury guarantee, this game is such a physical game, I played 12 years and all that.
“I want to be able to play, I want to be able to help this team win. … I know that every time I step on the field, it's a physical game. I never play shy; I never play with fear.”
The Broncos were 3-5 after the win over the Chiefs, and an injury to Wilson in the final nine games of the season could have triggered the guarantee if it was serious enough that he couldn't take an exam medical in March. Wilson said the NFL and its players association “got involved” and he remained Denver's starter as the team posted victories over the Bills, Minnesota Vikings and Cleveland Browns in the weeks that followed.
But with three losses in the last four games, including Sunday against the New England Patriots – after which Payton openly criticized the offense – Wilson was officially benched.
After Friday's practice, Payton continued to reiterate that the decision was about “winning” and that he was not “aware” of the conversations regarding benching Wilson over a contract issue. He pointed the finger at general manager George Paton and owner/CEO Greg Penner.
“I'm not aware of any of these [discussions]I run the football,” Payton said Friday.
“It's something with George and the front office, I'm not involved in any of that, I'm certainly involved in a lot of things and there will be a time and place at the end of the season that will answer maybe- “Maybe someone else can answer some of the questions.”
He later added: “I know how it was written, but this decision is strictly what I think will give us a chance to win number 8. Tough decision… there won't be any other reason. “
Wilson called the discussions and threat to bench him a “low blow.”
“We got to 3-5, beat the Chiefs… [it] definitely hurt, a low blow,” he said.
“They are good teams, we did it, we fought. It was a challenge [to keep playing]. It's a challenge, at the same time I have a job to do… at the end of the day you put your head down and stay focused.
What the Broncos do with Wilson moving forward will be the biggest decision the team faces this offseason. Denver has just six draft picks in April, with no second-rounders, and would face a dead money fee of $85 million over the 2024 and 2025 seasons combined if the team cuts Wilson.
Wilson continued to express his hope of having a future with the Broncos, but admitted he had considered the possibility that might not be the case.
“I hope it’s here, I hope it’s here for a long time,” he said Friday. “I hope we win some more trophies in the lobby and get some more championships, and if it's not here I'll be willing to do it somewhere else, but I hope it's is here. I mean it, I brought my family here and everything.”
The Broncos (7-8) still have an outside chance in the playoffs, but they will enter Sunday's divisional game shorthanded at wide receiver. Courtland Sutton was ruled out with a concussion against the Patriots. Marvin Mims Jr. (hamstring) and Jerry Jeudy (illness) did not practice Friday and are questionable.
