When Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton and general manager George Paton make their scheduled address to reporters at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis on Tuesday morning, they will undoubtedly face questions about the future of franchise quarterback Russell Wilson.
Wilson won’t be at the combine, but he nonetheless made sure his comments will be part of the story that unfolds as the league gathers for its tentpole pre-draft event.
During an appearance on the “I Am Athlete” podcast with former NFL wide receiver Brandon Marshall, the full version of which is scheduled to release Sunday night, Wilson said he still hopes to remain with the Broncos despite being benched for the final two games last season, a move that put his future with the franchise in doubt.
“I’ve got more fire than ever, honestly, especially over the past two years and what I’ve gone through,” Wilson said in a clip of the show he posted to his Instagram account. “Whether it’s in Denver or somewhere else. I hope it’s Denver. I hope I get to finish there. I committed there. I wanted to be there. I want to be there.”
EXCLUSIVE: Brandon Marshall sits down for an in-depth interview with Russell Wilson:
“I’ve got more fire now than ever, and for me, it’s all about winning. I just want to win.” pic.twitter.com/clGt5YRzUX
— I AM ATHLETE (@IAMATHLETEpod) February 25, 2024
Wilson, a Super Bowl champion quarterback who made nine Pro Bowls while playing for the Seattle Seahawks, was acquired by the Broncos in a blockbuster trade in 2022. Denver sent five draft picks, including two first rounders, and three players to Seattle to acquire Wilson. The Broncos later signed him to a five-year, $242.5 million contract extension.
The turnaround Denver was hoping to see when it made the trade didn’t materialize during his first two seasons. The Broncos have posted an 11-19 record during Wilson’s 30 starts. They were 5-12 during his first season and fired first-year coach Nathaniel Hackett after 15 games.
Wilson bounced back from his worst statistical season by throwing for 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 2023, but Denver’s offense continued to struggle and Payton made the decision in late December to bench Wilson and replace him with backup Jarrett Stidham for the season’s final two games. That decision came on the heels of an October meeting between the Broncos and Wilson’s representation in which the team, Wilson said, asked him to push back an injury guarantee date on his contract and threatened to bench him if he wouldn’t acquiesce to the request.
Paton said the proposal was made in “good faith,” and Wilson started the next seven games after the meeting.
Both Payton and Paton have remained open publicly to the idea of Wilson returning for a third season, but Denver has the No. 12 pick in April’s draft and could be searching for other answers at the position, even though cutting the veteran would create an $85 million dead-money hit. If Wilson remains the Broncos’ roster on March 17, the $37 million on his 2025 contract will become fully guaranteed, creating a quickly approaching timeline for Denver’s decision.
Wilson said he has plenty left to give in his career, regardless of where he plays next.
“For me, it’s about winning,” Wilson said during his podcast appearance. “Over the next five years, I want to win two (Super Bowls). I want to feel the chill of that trophy again. I love the city and everything else, but you also want to be at a place that wants you, too. The thing I want to do is win, man. That’s all I care about.”
The Broncos went 8-9 last season and have not been to the playoffs since 2015.
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(Photo: Troy Taormina / USA Today)
