“Just Pissed for Russ, a Lot of Us”: Denver Broncos’ Locker-Room Breaks Silence on Russell Wilson Benching Decision

It’s not just fans who were sad to see Russell Wilson benched! There was a deathly silence by the team and the ownership after Wilson’s benching. But now at least some voices have started to speak up. After Week 18, the Denver Broncos, unfortunately, will not be making it to the playoffs. Would the scenario have been different if Wilson was still playing for the last two games? Maybe not. But still, many players felt that Wilson should have led the Broncos’ final two charges.

The feeling is not unanimous, though. Some players feel that Head Coach Sean Payton made the right call by benching him. So, what are these two points of view that players have about Wilson?

Russell Wilson should not have been benched!

Many analysts had presumed that the $37 million in salary was the cause for his benching. If he injured himself in any of the games in the season, his $37 million in 2025 salary would become activated. But Sean Payton vehemently denied those presumptions. He said that it was a football decision and not a financial one.

But that didn’t seem right to some players. One Broncos player told Jeff Legwold, “We just won five in a row. We’re all going to support [backup Jarrett Stidham], but Russ was giving everything he had.” He agreed that Wilson had given all that he had. Another player told him, “Pissed for Russ. Just pissed for Russ, a lot of us.”

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Ian Rapoport, on the other hand, also reported on players who felt Wilson was rightly benched.

Some players feel that Wilson had to go

After analyzing the films of past games, some players saw something that made them assent to Payton’s decision. Ample number of open players who Wilson just couldn’t get the ball to in time! Players had been discussing it amongst themselves and saw it as a fatal flaw. They had begun to wonder if it was time for him to be substituted. Safety Justin Simmons diplomatically said, “It’s just unfortunate things don’t work out, sometimes they don’t, it’s not a shot at him as a player, not a shot at him as a person.”

Now, the Broncos are expected to cut Wilson off in March. However, Stidham’s future with the team is also unclear. He’s signed with the team for the next season as well. But, if they chose to release him, the team could save $5 million in salary cap. With them going into the Draft of 2024 with just the 12th pick, should they instead look to free agency?

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