“They Didn’t Bench Him”: The Athletic Journalist Uncovers Russell Wilson – Sean Payton Saga Amid Broncos’ Rumors

What a devastating end to 2023 for the Broncos! The fanbase has been in shock ever since their starting QB was benched toward the fag-end of the season. In the following days, we got to hear that the team had “threatened” to bench their QB if he did not do away with a problematic clause in his contract. Speaking on a podcast, Mike Sando, a journalist for The Athletic, tore the veil of secrecy and revealed what actually happened behind the scenes.

The Denver Broncos shelled out $245 million to acquire him and, per rumors, are planning to cut him out in the following season. So, how did it come to this? An elite QB with a Super Bowl ring who led the team to a massive comeback in the middle of the season is now on the verge of being team-less?

Why did the Broncos decide to bench Russell Wilson?

Speaking on The Ryen Russillo Podcast, the host said that Wilson came to the Broncos at a time when he was in decline with the Seattle Seahawks, which incidentally, he had also won a Super Bowl with, in 2014. Once in the Broncos, he had a terrible 5-12 season in his maiden year with them, then had a slightly improved season this year at 8-8, with one game to go. But apparently, that was not enough for the Broncos, and the entire saga started on October 29.

“Basically, they had threatened to bench him if he didn’t change the deal,” the journalist said. What was this deal that they were so against? Wilson’s contract contained a clause that if he injured himself in any of the games in the season, his $37 million in 2025 salary would become activated. But then, Wilson didn’t change the contract despite the threat. Sando said that it “was confusing because they didn’t bench him after that”. Was it because he led a comeback for the Broncos by winning against the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills, two of the toughest teams in the league?

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As if this wasn’t enough, Ian Rapoport claimed, soon after the benching-saga  that the Broncos were going to cut him the following year. So, which team could be his next destination?

Which team could Wilson go to in 2024?

Two standout destinations for the 34-year-old include the Las Vegas Raiders and the Atlanta Falcons. For the Raiders, even after firing their head coach, and general manager, quarterback Aidan O’Connell has been unable to secure a playoff spot for the team. Even though they have veteran QB Jimmy Garoppolo on their roster, CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin opined that Wilson could join the stumbling team in the offseason.

However, his number one pick for the veteran QB was the Falcons, which have been looking for a reliable QB since Matt Ryan’s “unceremonious exit”. If, after Week 18, they fail to secure a top-10 Draft pick, signing Wilson might be their best bet for the next season. For Wilson, Falcons also makes sense because of the HC’s run-first attack schema, in which he fits right in. But we’ll have to wait a few months before we get the conclusive answer.

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