October 1, 2023. The Denver Broncos were trailing the Chicago Bears 28-7. But one player, injured, and out for the entire season, was relentlessly motivating quarterback Russell Wilson on the sideline. Eventually, Denver went on to score a 31-28 comeback win. “He kept looking at me and we just said, ‘Hey, gave us too much time.’ hat was the quarter, third mid-third quarter, fourth quarter. He’s a guy that’s been one of our leaders. Obviously down and hurt, but having that connection and him speaking to me, just a great belief,” Wilson had recalled after the game.

Jump cut to December 5, 2024. The wide receiver, after going touchdown-less for 1082 days since Week 15 of the 2021 season, staged a storybook comeback with not one but two touchdowns. That too came just a day ahead of his late father’s birthday. The only thing is, in this week 14 game against the Packers, he had donned the Detroit Lions uniform instead of the Broncos. Wilson has also shifted to the Pittsburgh Steelers. So what? he still has that connection with Tim Patrick. So looking at him shining again, Wilson did not stop himself from cheering his ex-teammate.

After the Lions picked up a 34-31 win against the Packers on Thursday, Wilson took to his Instagram to express his happiness for Patrick. Resharing a post-game interview, he wrote, “Praise God! Congrats” for him. Russell Wilson’s IG story sums up the WR’s struggles over the last two years.

An undrafted free agent who began his NFL career with the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers, Patrick eventually made his way to the Broncos. He was with the Broncos from 2017 through this past offseason, playing his first official NFL game in 2018. He made it to becoming a starter, posting back-to-back 700-yard receiving seasons in 2020 and 2021. But then tough times came on his way.

First, it was a torn ACL suffered in training camp that made him miss the 2022 season. Patrick came back only to tear his Achilles in camp before a 2023 campaign, which derailed that season as well. This year, Patrick made it to the training camp and seemed to be promising preseason, apparently building a rapport with rookie quarterback Bo Nix. However, his career took another twist when the Broncos released him. He quickly landed in Detroit as a signee for the team’s practice squad. But Patrick does not complain about all these ups and downs.

“The journey was long, but it was worth it. It made me the man I am today and it brought me here to Detroit,” he said. By Thursday night, Patrick had seen action in 11 of Detroit’s first 12 games with five starts, 21 receptions, and 306 yards. However, the end zone had eluded him only to be turned around against the Packers.

In the third quarter, the Lions were suddenly trailing for the first time all evening, 21-17. Facing fourth-and-goal, Lions head coach Dan Campbell went for it and Patrick picked him up, hauling in a 3-yard laser from Jared Goff for six. Green Bay answered with a long scoring drive to regain the lead, but the Goff-Patrick connection had yet to show its magic.

Patrick hauled in his second touchdown on a 1-yard grab over the middle. Detroit had a 31-28 lead that Green Bay eventually matched before Jake Bates kicked the game-winner with no time left. To put it straight, it was Patrick’s scores that kept the Lions going in the back-and-forth. Campbell had nothing but praise for him after the heroics. “What a great addition he’s been, and he just continues to make plays for us in the run game and in the pass game,” the coach said. Even Goff was happy for Patrick.

“He’s been so consistent since he got here as far as unselfish, blocks, does everything right, and he hasn’t gotten a touchdown. What week are we in, 14, 15, whatever it is? Hasn’t gotten a touchdown ’til today, and had two of them. And he deserves it, man, he’s a stud, and I’m so happy he’s on our team,” Goff said after the game. Patrick was also happy, and that was for his late father.

“Amazing, amazing,” Patrick said when describing how it felt to score his first two touchdowns since 2021. “My dad’s birthday is tomorrow. He passed away, man, that was all him. It was all him, man, it was all God. I’m blessed, very blessed,” he said, in a touching tribute. Interestingly, Wilson’s support for Patrick did not come without a reason. They share a close friendship, and Tim Patrick has talked a lot about it. The WR once mentioned how strange it was for him when he first met the quarterback.

Patrick believes he and Russell Wilson are ‘built the same way‘

Tim Patrick felt confusing after meeting the quarterback. The WR stated in an interview that Wilson has been a terrific friend to him. They both had the same mentality, which Patrick first felt weird about, the reason being Patrick always believed he was built differently. So how can there be a guy just like him?

In an interview with Broncos Avenue, Patrick explained, “It’s different because you don’t really meet people with the same mindset as you. And when you it’s always weird because you always expect yourself to be different in a way. And we’re kinda built the same way, so it was fun man.”

Tim Patrick even went on to say that everything Russell Wilson does helps a wide receiver improve. Not only that, but Patrick believes the quarterback is constantly trying to improve. The veteran QB never stops working on his game, which inspires Patrick to level up. Even NFL Network’s James Palmer had also pointed out their connection during their time in the Broncos.

“If you spent any time in training camp last year, it was Tim Patrick who Russell Wilson was building his chemistry with,” Palmer had said last year. “Multiple coaches would told me [Wilson] felt more comfortable throwing the ball to Patrick than any other guy on the field.” While they’ve both become major stars, their friendship somewhat reminds fans of another WR-QB duo.

It is none other than Larry Fitzgerald and Carson Palmer. If you recall, these two played at their best for the Arizona Cardinals from 2013 to 2017. But, like Patrick and Wilson, they shared a kinship even after they parted ways with the team. Well, while the duo remain friends, they are certainly making a mark with their respective teams (completely opposite to their journey with the Broncos).