Report: Broncos 'Threatened' to Bench Russell Wilson 'Weeks Ago' Over Contract
The Denver Broncos' benching of starting quarterback Russell Wilson was not a move driven by impulse but, reportedly, a calculated decision nearly two months in the making.
According to Bleacher Report's Jordan Schultz, the Broncos approached Wilson in late October threatening to deactivate the nine-time Pro Bowler if he didn't strike the gargantuan injury guarantees built into his $245 million contract — the very same guarantees that led to his demotion for the final two games of the regular season.
The request "shocked" Wilson, per Schultz, and "the two sides got into a major dispute on how to proceed."
"When the threat was made by the Broncos, the team, Wilson's camp, the NFLPA, and another unknown party were involved in negotiations that ended with no change in Wilson’s contract," Schultz added.
Schultz's reporting was corroborated by Denver7's Troy Renck and seemingly even Wilson himself, who "liked" a pair of posts on social media regarding the bombshell rumor.
As it goes, the Broncos benched Wilson due to the $37 million in injury protection scheduled to become guaranteed for 2025 on the fifth day of the new league year in March. The team clearly doesn't want to pay Wilson, 35, any more than necessary with the marriage likely headed toward a divorce.
The Athletic's Dianna Russini reported Wednesday evening that Wilson anticipates being released by Denver prior to the aforementioned deadline.
Russell Wilson is expecting to be cut by the Denver Broncos in March, per league sources. For almost two months, the quarterback has been starting knowing the organization was most likely going to move on him from after this season.
The Broncos reached out to Wilson's representatives in late October and explained that Wilson would lose the starting job and be made inactive for the rest of the season if he did not defer the injury guarantee trigger date that he has for 2025, per multiple league sources.
It was explained, the Broncos never told Wilson if or when they would bench him this season, he just played until he was told this morning he was no longer starting.
For his part — though he'd never publicly admit otherwise — Broncos head coach Sean Payton insisted the rationale for benching Wilson is rooted in football rather than financials.
"I understand all the speculation and everything that surrounds a move like that," Payton told reporters. "I can tell you [that] we’re desperately trying to win. Sure, in our game today there are economics and all those other things, but the No. 1 push behind this—and it’s a decision I’m making—is to get a spark offensively."
Now-former backup QB Jarrett Stidham will start Denver's Week 17 and 18 contests against the Chargers and Raiders, respectively.
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