Russell Wilson has broken his silence with a mysterious social media post following his benching by the Broncos.
Russell Wilson has seemingly addressed the news of his benching and the likely conclusion of his time with the Broncos through a post on X on Wednesday night.
The day had been tumultuous for the seasoned quarterback, with ESPN initially reporting that the Broncos were giving the starting job to Jarrett Stidham. The Athletic later disclosed that the Broncos intended to release Wilson in March, signaling the end of what was perceived as a less-than-ideal partnership.
Amidst the unfolding events, Wilson maintained radio silence until late Wednesday night, when he finally spoke out with a cryptic post on X. “God’s got me. Looking forward to what’s next,” was all Wilson wrote.
The situation between Wilson and the Broncos seemed to unravel swiftly, but beneath the surface, reports suggest that Wilson had been aware for months of the team’s intention to move on from him.
According to The Athletic, on October 29, the Broncos communicated to a representative of Russell Wilson, stating that the quarterback would lose his starting role and would be inactive for the remainder of the year if he didn’t waive an injury guarantee trigger date for 2025.
The news appeared to catch some players in the Broncos’ locker room by surprise, with wide receiver Jerry Jeudy expressing his astonishment to reporters. Jeudy said, “I’m pretty surprised. He just told us out of nowhere, so yeah, I was pretty surprised. Having Russ [as] our starting quarterback the whole year, then the last two games, being a switch. I think it was a surprise to everybody in the locker room.”
Jerry Jeudy says he felt the decision to bench Russell Wilson “was a surprise to everybody in our locker room.” … “He (Payton) just told us out of nowhere. So, I was pretty surprised having Russ our starting the quarterback the whole year, then the last 2 games, being a switch.“ pic.twitter.com/3FSYbh3DRo
— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) December 28, 2023
Financial considerations have played a significant role in the situation, particularly with reports indicating that Russell Wilson is guaranteed $37 million in 2025 if he is unable to play due to injury and cannot pass a physical. Head coach Sean Payton has emphasized that the decision was driven by the team’s determination to win, despite the challenging financial implications.
Wilson had spent two seasons in Denver after being traded from the Seahawks in 2022. The decision to bench him and the subsequent implications underscore the complexity and multifaceted nature of such decisions in the professional sports landscape.
