Bronco country, let's ride. Hold on, the car broke down, and the car isn't in Mile High anymore, Russell Wilson is in Pittsburgh, and Broncos fans still despise him.
Wilson, who happens to be a Super Bowl champion and two-time NFC Champion and former Pro Bowler, heard it from his old fanbase despite his game against the Bills being played thousands of miles away from Denver, which was seeing their team beat Green Bay 27-2.
Not only boos, but also a few cheers, which, in retrospect, made sense considering how bad Wilson was in orange.
A legitimate argument could be made that Wilson's time in Denver was about as bad the Broncos' Super Bowl 48 performance was against the Seahawks, who happened to be quarterbacked by none other than Russell Wilson himself.
Before this drama, Russell Wilson was hailed as the savior for the Denver Broncos when the franchise mortgaged their future to bring him over from Seattle. However, there were warning signs well before Wilson departed the Emerald City.
Other teams, like the Chicago Bears, were heavily involved, but Pete Carroll ultimately chose Denver as the right place. Seattle used the picks wisely for players like tackle Charles Cross and defensive back Devon Witherspoon, both of whom are quality starters.
It turned out to be a massive mistake, one that the new ownership could not swallow, including Nathaniel Hackett, who is now in East Rutherford with the New York Jets. Sean Payton eventually had enough of Russell Wilson and moved on to Bo Nix, who looked sharp in his last preseason game.
The Broncos just showed "highlights" from the Biffalo/Pitt game and the first clip was Russell Wilson getting sacked.
The Mile High crowd booed him mercilessly— Mile High Mario (@VetanzeTherapy) August 19, 2024
In contrast, Wilson hasn't done much to separate himself from newly acquired Steelers QB Justin Fields. Wilson will likely start because of his experience, but his leash is short.
Ultimately, what it comes down to is that Russell Wilson doesn't have the same type of leadership intangibles that he had in his first few years in Seattle. His athleticism has also waned. For a player heavily reliant on that trait, not having it hinders his playmaking ability.
In the NFL, it is all about production. Either you do it, or the franchise brings in someone else who can do it, and there are several players still on the streets in free agency both young and old that are wishing for that opportunity.
