Russell Wilson Dishes on How he's Handled 2022's Adversity
Prior to this season, newly minted Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson sat down with star safety Justin Simmons to discuss their ambitious plans for success. Both men seemed deadly serious about joining forces to help change the losing narrative of past seasons and lead the Broncos to the promised land.
Fast forward to early December, and the Broncos are listing at 3-9 and have officially posted their sixth straight losing season. Wilson has bombed as the starter, and while Simmons has performed well, he's missed time with injuries as the Broncos have tail-spun badly.
After another heartbreaking defeat in Baltimore, it was Wilson who told reporters that he and Simmons had another impromptu sit-down to discuss how to turn the ship around.
“I think it’s a complete team effort," Wilson said. "Me and Justin, we’re talking just a little bit. The part about winning is that, especially in the National Football League, is that it’s going to come down to a possession or two almost every game. From my experience, it comes down to these one or two possessions. Maybe the last one, whatever it may be, offensively, defensively, special teams, whatever it is. That margin of error is so tight and is so clear and has to be communicated so well.”
The post-mortem on a failed campaign is already well underway behind the scenes. Considering that the division-leading Kansas City Chiefs are next up, the collateral damage is guaranteed to get much worse in the short term.
Hence, conversations skipping from locker to locker aim to salvage some pride to start fresh in 2023. Wilson will be at the forefront of that process clearly, and if the locker room culture has been to blame for at least some of the Broncos' losing, he’s certainly got a big job on his hands.
“We talked about [it] in the locker room," Wilson said. "I think the thing for us is this is the reality of being a professional. I’ve had a lot of highs and a few lows. But I think in the midst of the highs and the lows, your mindset, your character, your integrity, how you play the game and how you respect the game should never change. You just continue to try and elevate in the midst of it all. There are going to be tough times. There’s going to be a lot more good times that come and soon. I believe that—I really do—and that’s what I’m going to focus on.”
Recriminations and scapegoats will likely have to wait until the season finally comes to its merciful conclusion. Come time, it will likely see failed first-year head coach Nathaniel Hackett being relieved of his duties on the NFL's dreaded 'Black Monday.' The Broncos will swing into yet another partial rebuild.
Wilson and Simmons will stick around and pick up the fractured pieces as their substantial contractual terms guarantee as much, barring an unforeseen trade.
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