Russell Wilson on Move to Denver: 'I Want to Go to a City that Knows How to Win'
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Change is in the air in the Mile High City.
It feels like the recent demons are in the process of being exorcised. The man practicing that spiritual medicine is none other than Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson.
Wilson, an 11th-year veteran and nine-time Pro Bowler, has an obsession — with winning. It turns out, one of the big reasons the former Super Bowl XLVIII champion opted to take his talents from Seattle to Denver was because of the high expectations the market has for the Broncos.
"It's been a blessing just to come here, just to come to an amazing city like Denver, to be a part of it with so many amazing teammates and great coaching staff," Wilson said Friday via DNVR's Zac Stevens. "But also, once the trade was going to happen, I said, 'Hey, listen, I want to make sure that I go to a city that wants to win. I want to make sure that I go to a team that wants to win. And I want to go to a city that knows how to win.' And all those three things were checked off the box here in Denver and so I think we've got a chance."
Wilson bonded with Broncos GM George Paton and new head coach Nathaniel Hackett before officially signing off on the Denver trade. Wilson also conferred with Hall-of-Famer Peyton Manning on the pros and cons of quarterbacking the Broncos.
After careful deliberation and introspection, Wilson opted to take his talents to Denver, and the Broncos couldn't have been more ready for his arrival. The Broncos haven't made the playoffs since hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl 50.
That was six years ago.
Meanwhile, of his 10 NFL seasons, Wilson has led his team to the playoffs in eight of them. The quarterback knows how to win.
And in his new football environs, Wilson is surrounded by a veritable arsenal of weapons. With wideouts like Courtland Sutton, Tim Patrick, and Jerry Jeudy, tight ends like Albert Okwuegbunam and rookie Greg Dulcich, and a two-headed running back rotation helmed by Javonte Williams and Melvin Gordon, Wilson is loaded for bear on this hunt.
The Broncos just wrapped up their offseason training program and have entered the six-week NFL summer that will be punctuated by the start of training camp. From there, fans will truly get to see for themselves whether Wilson's spiritual makeover of the Broncos is for real.
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