Broncos HC Sean Payton Doubles Down on Support For Russell Wilson
Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton's commitment to his starting quarterback Russell Wilson partly led to him donning his "fox hat" earlier this week. On Friday, Payton backtracked somewhat from the incendiary comments he directed towards ex-Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett, and others, via USA Today's Jarrett Bell.
On the heels of the media firestorm he created, Payton was especially keen to get back to talking about how training camp is shaping up. Pouring some cold water on the bombshell he dropped on Hackett and the New York Jets may have been the right thing to do, but Payton wasn't about to apologize for going to bat for his quarterback and roster.
"A lot of people had dirt on their hands," Payton said via USA Today. "It wasn’t just Russell. He didn’t just flip. He still has it. This B.S. that he hit a wall? Shoot, they couldn’t get a play in. They were 29th in the league in pre-snap penalties on both sides of the ball.”
Here's how Payton responded to a question on Friday on the subject of his support for Wilson as if that needed further elucidation in the wake of his USA Today comments.
“Absolutely," Payton said. "These guys—and I said it to them last night—you guys deserve the best teaching in the world. We’re going to give it to you. They really do [deserve it]. They’re the best players in the world. They deserve a chance. Now, it’s not going to be easy.”
Wilson has to be feeling good about just how passionately his head coach believes in what he can still do at age 34. The veteran signal-caller is finding that coach Payton is also tailoring practice situations to emulate game conditions and best suit his athletic skill set.
“You want to play it like a game. That’s what we are trying to simulate,” Payton said. “It’s hard to practice the spontaneous moments that take place in a game. If you break down a whole game, two-thirds of it happens in the pocket the way it’s supposed to, and a third of it, there is a movement adjustment, there is pressure and there are all sorts of things that can take place. I’m comfortable when I see him climbing [the pocket] and taking off because one of those plays is like a 30-yard gain. How else do you practice that? It’s the same way with the scramble drill when we are out of the pocket. You just begin working on that all of the time. I think it’s one of the things he does well in the framework of a play. When something breaks down and he flushes, a lot of the time good things happen. You have to practice that and get everyone on the same page when it happens.”
When Wilson first landed in Denver, the expectation was that the Broncos would immediately get the Seattle Seahawks version of a QB many had tabbed as a future Hall-of-Famer. Of course, things didn't work out that peachy in Year 1, but Wilson's obvious weight loss and leaner physique all point toward a man with renewed vigor and motivation.
In truth, Wilson was pretty reticent about the new slimmed version of himself, playing it largely down during his visit to the podium.
“I feel great. I feel better than ever.” Wilson said on Friday.
On the other hand, Payton had more to say about his well-conditioned QB, who remains listed by the Broncos at a relatively hefty 215 pounds. When you factor in the clear desire to fully exploit Wilson's mobility, you can understand why Payton is happy to have his QB carrying fewer pounds across the turf this season.
That being said, Payton has always demanded that his players return from their time off in optimum condition.
“He looks like he’s in really good shape,” Payton said. “I don’t have a good recall as to his weight a year ago, but me personally, I’m always mindful of receivers, running backs, quarterbacks, DBs. I like that weight they come in right out of college. Occasionally, you can put on some additional weight with strength, but too much in an offseason can slow you down. He looks good now. He’s moving around well. I don’t know what his weight is particularly. I could guess, but I know it was what we wanted when we left for the summer break.”
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