The hopes were high when Sean Payton joined the Denver Broncos in early 2023 to revitalize the struggling offense. Even though the Broncos moved up from last place in scoring in 2022 to 19th in 2023, the team failed to meet expectations, particularly after bringing Russell Wilson with one of the most high-paying deals.
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Admitting that Sean Payton and Russell Wilson were never in agreement on the Broncos’ future plans is nothing to be ashamed of. The quarterback who was making $242.6 million was eventually released from the team, resulting in a dead cap hit of $85 million for the Broncos.
Truly, no one in the league’s history has ever been given such a large amount of money to sit out games for the team. At the NFL’s Annual League Meeting, Sean Payton was recently questioned if he had any remorse for releasing Russell Wilson or concerns about the financial consequences. Payton wasted no time in responding to the reporters’ questions. He responded with a firm “NO.”
NFL fans slammed Sean Payton for his direct comments on Russell Wilson’s departure from the Broncos. One fan labeled him as a “real hater,” while another mentioned he had a negative impact on the team. Some people even voiced doubt about his status as a top coach, labeling him ‘arrogant’. Take a look:
Russell Wilson has signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers, which he announced even prior to the start of free agency. ESPN detailed that the two parties signed a contract for one year that is near the league’s minimum of $1.21 million. Wilson’s readiness comes from his significant income of $39 million in 2024, for which $38 million would be paid by the Broncos. It is safe to say that both Sean Payton and Russell Wilson must be pretty satisfied with the deal.
Sean Payton Views Russell Wilson Joining Pittsburgh Under Mike Tomlin as a “Good Opportunity”
Although there was a disagreement between head coach Sean Payton and veteran quarterback Russell Wilson in Denver, the former sees Wilson potentially heading to Pittsburgh to play under head coach Mike Tomlin as a hopeful chance. During the annual NFL owners’ meeting in Orlando, Payton highlighted that Pittsburgh is one of the teams that always advances up to the playoffs. It provides Wilson with a good opportunity to claim a starting spot.
“It’s a good opportunity for Russ. First off they’re a playoff team, a team that wanted to make a change at quarterback and I think that certainly he has a chance to be a starter.” Payton said, per The Athletic’s Mike DeFabo.
In Pittsburgh, Wilson isn’t just vying for a starting position, he has been labeled as a starter. He was selected to guide the Steelers, even with talks of competition and the addition of backup quarterback Justin Fields. Although he may not be as strong as he was in Seattle, Wilson has shown that he is still a top-level NFL quarterback, as seen in his impressive performance in Denver last season.
