Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson broke his silence on a report that the team threatened to bench him following the club’s Week 8 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.
Following the news that Denver was benching Wilson for its final two regular season games of 2023, Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz reported that the Broncos actually threatened to bench him during their bye week if he didn’t adjust his contract.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Wilson addressed the report about Denver threatening to bench him. The nine-time Pro Bowler confirmed that the Broncos did, in fact, do this during their bye week.
“They came up to me during the bye week…told me if I didn’t change my contract, my injury guarantee, that I’d be benched for the rest of the year.”
Wilson added that he was “disappointed” with the decision but added that he hopes to remain with the Broncos in 2024.
As NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero noted, the Broncos would owe Wilson $37 million in guaranteed money for 2025 if he suffered an injury. Wilson agreed to a five-year, $245 million extension ahead of his Broncos debut in 2022.
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The Broncos’ decision to bench Wilson surprised many because even at 7-8, they are still mathematically alive in the postseason race. On top of that, the 35-year-old has displayed a remarkable turnaround under head coach Sean Payton this year.
After a forgettable first year in Mile High City, Wilson has turned it around with a 66.4 completion percentage for 3,070 yards and 26 touchdowns against only eight interceptions. Nonetheless, Payton and company clearly are more worried about long-term cap space than trying to keep their slim playoff hopes alive.
