“You Take a 15-Step Drop?”: Steelers’ Broderick Jones Trolls ‘Short’ Russell Wilson After 45-Sack Season Frustrated Broncos HC Sean Payton

Russell Wilson and his controversy-laden season has been getting even more attention since his transfer to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Fans and NFL pundits alike can’t wait to see what he does in the Pittsburgh system headed by Mike Tomlin. Quenching this curiosity, Steelers’ Broderick came forth and delivered an insight into the QB training and the Steelers’ overall practice.

After organized training, the offensive tackle took to the media and reflected on his role in the team. Meanwhile, the interview was more invested in knowing about Russell Wilson’s drop-back. In a rather hilarious manner, the tackle said, “That’s what I asked him when I first got here. I said, ‘Damn you’re short, what do you take, a 15-step drop?’” However, Russell Wilson negated Broderick’s question and said, “Nah, I can see.”

While the comment was made light-heartedly by the 23-year-old professional, he made sure to praise the QBs in his team. Broderick said, “At first it was just, you know, getting acclimated with to cadences with both of them, just the way they take control of the huddle. Umm, but at the end of the day both of them get the job done. You know umm there is no secret that it is gonna be a battle but you know I just wish both of them the best.”

Apart from this, Steelers tackle Jones made sure to highlight that he hasn’t had a chance to interact much with the veteran QB Wilson. It has been a conservation here and a conversation there but nothing like “getting to know” each other. Wilson’s height at 5 feet and 9 inches was probably brought up by Jones because it is likely that the same might make it hard for him to see what’s going on at the front.

Hence, to ensure better visual clarity, Wilson break the pocket and step back to get a better look. However, what it also implies is that sometimes Wilson must hold on to the ball longer than he should, which typically results in him getting sacked. And that has been the point of dispute between the Super Bowl Champ QB and his former coach Sean Payton.

The real reason why Sean Payton disapproved of Russell Wilson

The simple answer to query lies in Wilson’s affinity to hold onto the ball and taking sacks. This is what irked Sean Payton the most in 15 games that he coached the Denver team. In 2022 when the QB joined the Denver Broncos, he took 55 sacks and in his last season with the Broncos he took 45 sacks, which is a lot to say the least. This adds his total sack stat to a 100, making it the most in the league.

Consequently, Sean Payton’s reaction was just in line when he said, “No. 1, we can’t take as many sacks. If you looked at any of the data relative to what it does for your drives, I think that was a big thing that hurt us a year ago.” That analysis is precisely the reason why the Broncos head coach ended up hiring Bo Nix and bidding farewell to Wilson. The Broncos new QB had 10 sacks in 2 years, and that’s a 10x reduction in numbers, which is a huge deal.

However, only time will tell how he will fare well in the big league. “He processes fast,” Payton said of Nix. “Sack reductions sometimes is the ability to process and deliver.” Thus, as the professionals and teams gear-up for the upcoming season, the challenge will be for everyone—veteran QB Wilson, skillful Justin Fields and rookie talent Bo Nix.