Amidst All the Criticism, Russell Wilson Responds to His Former Teammate Marshawn Lynch For His Encouraging Take

“Broncos Country, Let’s Ride” is probably the most despised catchphrase to come out in the NFL. And the source of that catchphrase isn’t exactly a crowd favorite either. Denver Broncos’ QB, Russell Wilson’s performance has been anything by satisfactory this season, and there are already talks about the apparently evident downfall in performance. His 9 appearances at the Pro Bowl and his Super Bowl win haven’t stopped critics from bashing him for mistakes past and present. Part of the crowd is a former teammate from Seattle Seahawks, Marshawn Lynch. Or at least, he used to be.

Lynch appeared on former Seahawks teammate and Amazon’s Thursday Night Football commentator, Richard Sherman’s podcast earlier this week. Fans were probably expecting Lynch to give Wilson another earful for his dismal performances this season. Lynch has previously talked harshly about Wilson’s plays, especially his interception from way back in 2015, that cost the Seahawks a Super Bowl win, in the last minute of the game. But, surprisingly, Lynch pulled out an Uno reverse card hidden in his sleeve.

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When Sherman asks Lynch about all the harsh words Wilson has been receiving, Lynch said, “I just want to know [how he’s doing]…..I just want to tap in with him and make sure that, you feel me though, that dog (Wilson) is solid though. Because man, at the end of the day, like… I want to make sure a dog (Wilson) is straight in his mind.”

“Don’t let that [stuff] overshadow you, because at the end of the day, bro, you still a Super Bowl quarterback. You feel me? You know, you got a beautiful family, all the [stuff]. But, you know, [people] have been going off the deep end with how they’ve been, and how they’ve been thinking.”

Broncos’ Russell Wilson says Lynch is an idol, after receiving vital support

Ahead of the Broncos‘ Thursday practice session, reporters asked Wilson about his thoughts on Lynch’s comments.

“I didn’t get to hear what Marshawn said, but someone told me earlier that he said some good things. Marshawn — he’s always been amazing in how he’s gone about things and how he’s been an amazing competitor. [He’s] one of the best people I’ve ever played with and been in the backfield with, obviously. I’ve always looked up to him since [I was] a young rookie. He would put his arm around me in the back of the bus and we’d talk about ball and everything else. A guy like that, he’s one of the greatest of all time to do it. The fact that he’s always looking out is a positive thing.”

Wilson and Lynch were part of the Super Bowl winning Seattle Seahawks‘ side back in 2014, before the much criticised play from Wilson helped Tom Brady‘s New England Patriots win the Super Bowl in 2015. A shaky 2-3 start for the Broncos hasn’t helped Wilson re-establish himself as a star quarterback, leading many to speculate about his light fading away. Their loss to the Indianapolis Colts, in a game that is best described by fans as “painful,” is another nail in the proverbial coffin.

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Wilson leads the Broncos against the Los Angeles Chargers (3-2) on Tuesday. The Chargers, who are on a 2 win streak, will be looking to extend it at the Broncos expense. Wilson will have a good chance against a defense that has conceded 24 points or more in every game this season (and pre-season). Will the Broncos turn a new leaf with this matchup? Will Wilson be able to start his redemption arc and get more opportune moments to use his catchphrase? Broncos country will surely be riding on this hope.