Jerry Rosburg Forecasts Russell Wilson's 2023 Outlook for Next HC
Denver Broncos fans will ruefully reflect on the lost 2022 season with a mixture of both anger and frustration. Only since the Walton/Penner ownership group pulled the plug on head coach Nathaniel Hackett, replacing him with level-headed veteran coach Jerry Rosburg as interim, did the Broncos look and play like a team.
What Rosburg has done in only two short weeks proves the Broncos are not broken beyond repair — as many of their critics have claimed. It's an open secret that the Broncos' billionaire owners are swinging for the fences as they attempt to woo the likes of Sean Payton and Jim Harbaugh to take the head-coaching job.
The principal remit for the new head coach will be to turn Russell Wilson back into a force similar to what fans saw in Week 18's victory over the Los Angeles Chargers. Still, on the balance of yesterday's evidence, Rosburg has already done much to put the expensive Wilson locomotive back on the rails.
"I think what you saw out there from Russell Wilson is Russell," Rosburg said on Sunday post-game. "That's who he is. He is a Hall of Fame NFL quarterback. Everything has to fit together for the quarterback to play winning football. I think you saw what it would look like if we got to that point. That's how I feel about Russell Wilson. He deserves to have his teammates stand up for him, and he got that, and I think that's a noble gesture by his teammates. It was demonstrated out there how they feel about him, too."
Some notable tweaks to the offensive game plan got Wilson moving around and throwing the ball with much more zest and purpose. Increasing the role of third-year wideout Jerry Jeudy also put a spring in Wilson's step, and post-game, Rosburg identified just what a difference-maker the former Alabama man is maturing into.
"The statement he made is the performance you see out there," Rosburg said. "Jerry made a statement verbally in support of Russell Wilson, and that was profound. I also think—you just watched the guy play. I'm so impressed by his abilities, and he's still growing. I saw a much more physical Jerry Jeudy, so it's a good thing. It's a physical game, and he's got the ability. He is a great player."
Now that the season has ended, the Broncos' top brass knows that this is where the hard work truly begins. Rosburg deserves much credit for giving the entire organization a short-term shot in the arm, and it's provided them with a more hopeful outlook for next season.
The Broncos' front office and owners will have the green light to interview NFL-employed head-coaching candidates on January 17. No matter who ultimately takes over, the Broncos' brain trust will be laser-focused on getting more out of Wilson, but the man himself is already keen to get down to the nitty-gritty.
"This is coming up on Year 12 [in the NFL], and I believe in consistency, being consistent in your habits and work ethic, in what you do," Wilson said post-game. "Every day is thought out, planned out, every day, the diligence of that. Every year, you always evolve, and you're always trying to learn different things. This season has been a really humbling year; it's been a challenging year. But it's been a year of tremendous joy. It's been a year of tremendous joy because of the guys I have gotten to play with—the work ethic that they've put in."
Kudos to the Broncos' great business minds for doing what it takes to attract a significant figure to coach the team. Rosburg might now head back into a comfortable retirement from football, but his two-week stint as interim head coach has lit a beacon that will do much to guide the immediate future of the Broncos.
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