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Broncos Radio Host Blasts 'Stupid' Narrative of Steelers QB
PITTSBURGH -- The sour relationship between Broncos head coach Sean Payton and former starting quarterback Russell Wilson appears to have persisted even after Wilson was released and became a Pittsburgh Steeler.
CBS Sports NFL Insider Aditi Kinkhabwala claimed that Wilson struggled to pick up Payton's offense and that the calls had to be reduced to two-word phrases. But back in Denver, a set of radio hosts pulled no punches and defended the Steelers' newest starting quarterback from claims that the offense had to be dumbed down for him in Denver.
"The idea that Russell Wilson can't get verbose play calls is frankly stupid," Ryan Edwards, Benjamin Albright and Grant Smith said on Broncos Country Tonight. "Russell Wilson had his best season under Brian Schottenheimer, who has famously long, verbose play calls."
"Are we at the point where we're slandering people just to slander people?" they added.
Wilson's two-year tenure with the Broncos began with plenty of hope but crashed and burned quickly as he struggled to regain the elite form he achieved with the Seahawks. Wilson was eventually pushed out by Payton, who preferred to pay a lucrative contract buyout to get rid of Wilson than keep him around for another season.
The Steelers benefitted from that decision, adding Wilson on a one-year, $1.2 million contract to be their starter in 2024. They'll try to ride Wilson's big arm and experience, alongside what is expected to be a domininant rushing offense, back to the playoffs and beyond.
STEPHEN THOMPSON
Stephen Thompson graduated with a bachelor's degree in communications and political science from Pitt in April 2022 after spending four years as a sports writer and editor at The Pitt News, the University of Pittsburgh's independent, student-run newspaper. He primarily worked the Pitt men's basketball beat, and filled in on coverage of football, volleyball, softball, gymnastics and lacrosse, in addition to other sports as needed. His work at The Pitt News has won awards from the Pennsylvania News Media Association and Associated College Press. During the spring and summer of 2021, Stephen interned for Pittsburgh Sports Now, covering baseball in western Pennsylvania. Hailing from Washington D.C., family ties have cultivated a love of Boston's professional teams and Pitt athletics, and a fascination with sports in general.