Drew Brees Says Russell Wilson Can Hit ‘Prime’ Under Sean Payton

The retired quarterback believes that Wilson can hit the next level of his career with the new Broncos coach.

Retired quarterback and future Hall of Famer Drew Brees believes that Broncos signal caller Russell Wilson can hit his “prime” under new Denver coach Sean Payton.

Payton, who was hired earlier this week to replace Nathaniel Hackett, is re-entering the coaching ranks just one year after retiring from his job with the Saints.

“To me, this is set up to be Russell Wilson’s prime,” Brees told ESPN’s Ed Werder. “Especially with Sean Payton and the system that’s going to be built around him…this is a great opportunity for Russell Wilson.”

After playing for the Seahawks for his entire career, Wilson was shipped off to Denver in a trade last offseason, and played poorly after inking a massive contract extension with the Broncos. Wilson’s struggles under Hackett were a key reason why Denver struggled this season and elected to move on from their former coach less than a year after hiring him.

Wilson notched multiple career-lows in 2022, including in completion percentage (60.5%) and touchdowns (16). Wilson’s 11 interceptions were also tied for the second-highest total of his professional career.

Denver went 5–12 to finish last in the AFC West and miss the playoffs. With the hiring of Payton, Denver is hoping to reverse the trend quickly with a new voice at the top.