-
Jeff Legwold, ESPN Senior Writer
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Two years ago, the Denver Broncos pinned the future of their franchise on quarterback Russell Wilson. He arrived with great fanfare from Seattle, already boasting one Super Bowl ring and looking to get the Broncos some more hardware.
Three coaches and two losing seasons later, though, the Wilson era is over. The Broncos announced Monday that they have informed quarterback Russell Wilson that he will be released after the 2024 league year begins at 4 p.m.ET next Wednesday.
“We spoke with Russell Wilson today to inform him of his release after the start of the league year. On behalf of the Broncos, we thank Russell for his contributions and dedication to our team and community while wishing him the best as he continues his career,” general manager George Paton and coach Sean Payton said in a joint statement.
“As we move forward, we are focused on building the strongest team possible for the 2024 season and beyond. We are excited to improve this offseason and will have the flexibility to get better through the draft and free agency.”
The Broncos went 11-19 in Wilson’s starts over two seasons and failed to make the playoffs in both. Coach Sean Payton benched Wilson with two games remaining in 2023, a move that effectively marked the end of Wilson’s career in Denver.
It all ends without Wilson reaching any of the goals set. These are the key moments that defined Wilson’s rocky tenure along the way:
March 16, 2022: Wilson was formally introduced following a blockbuster trade with the Seattle Seahawks. Denver gave up five draft picks and three starters in exchange for Wilson and a draft pick.
“This is a gift for me. I’m so grateful to be around such amazing people,” Wilson said. “My goal is to play 10 or 12 more years and hopefully win three or four more Super Bowls. That’s the plan. That’s the mindset.”
Broncos general manager George Paton said, “It’s just unique you can trade for a franchise quarterback in his prime.”
Sept. 1, 2022: Wilson signed a five-year, $242.6 million contract extension with about $161 million in guarantees from Denver. Wilson called it “a marriage and you want to be here a long time, and my goal is to be able to finish my career here.”
Sept. 12, 2022: Wilson opened his first season as a Bronco with a loss to his former team. The Seahawks beat Denver 17-16 after Brandon McManus missed a 64-yard field goal attempt in the final seconds. Coach Nathaniel Hackett drew the ire of fans for not letting Wilson and the offense go for it on a fourth-and-5 with 20 seconds left. Wilson’s 340 yards passing ending up as his most in a game for the Broncos.
Oct. 7, 2022: Wilson had the worst performance of his career, throwing two fourth-quarter interceptions in plays that began in Indianapolis Colts territory. Indianapolis kicker Chase McLaughlin tied the game to end regulation, with his team going on to win 12-9 in overtime. The slugfest featured a combined four interceptions, six fumbles, seven field goals and 12 punts.
“Throwing two interceptions can’t happen. Can’t happen. I let the team down tonight,'” Wilson said.
Dec. 25, 2022: Rock bottom of Year 1 arrived via a 51-14 meltdown loss to the Rams in SoFi Stadium. Wilson was sacked six times, threw three interceptions and Hackett was fired the next day. The Broncos would finish the season 5-12.
“Obviously, the X’s and O’s are important, but we need a strong leader for this organization that’s focused on winning,” owner Greg Penner said after Hackett was fired.
Feb. 6, 2023: Sean Payton was introduced as Broncos coach. Payton, who had been highly critical of Wilson and Hackett in his role as a TV analyst, promised to shape an offense around Wilson’s best traits: “I don’t like singing, but none of us want to be at a karaoke bar with a song we don’t know the words to. How do we get them comfortable and highlight their strengths?”
Later, Wilson and Payton dined together during Super Bowl week in Arizona.
May 25, 2023: A noticeably slimmer Wilson arrives at OTAs: “I feel better than ever.” Payton later said he asked Wilson to arrive to the offseason program lighter.
July 27, 2023: As the Broncos opened training camp, Payton told USA Today’s Jarrett Bell that Hackett’s 15-game run as Broncos coach was “one of the worst coaching jobs in the history of the NFL.” He added there “were 20 dirty hands” on Wilson’s career-worst 16 touchdown passes and career-high 55 sacks.
Sept. 25, 2023: The Broncos fell to 0-3 after a disastrous 70-20 loss to the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium. The 70 points and 726 yards allowed were the most ever surrendered by the Broncos and the third-highest point total and second-highest yardage total in a game in NFL history. The 70 points were the most allowed in an NFL game since 1966 and the yardage total was second only to the 1951 Rams win over the Yanks.
“It’s a tough film to watch,” Payton said the next day.
Oct. 12, 2023: The Broncos suffered their fifth loss of the season in a close, offensively-challenged game against the Chiefs at Arrowhead. Denver’s defense held Kansas City to one touchdown, while Wilson threw for 95 yards and two interceptions. It was only the third time in Wilson’s career he threw for fewer than 100 yards in a game.
It was the culmination of what had already been a humiliating season for the 1-5 Broncos: two home losses to open the season for the first time in franchise history, a 70-20 loss in South Florida, a home loss to the Jets.
Oct. 29, 2023: During the Week 9 bye with the Broncos at 3-5, Wilson said the team first contacted his agent to adjust a $37 million injury guarantee in his contract. Wilson later said he was told if he did not agree to adjust the guarantee, he would be benched. No adjustment was agreed to, Wilson kept playing and the Broncos went 4-1 in their next five games to climb to 7-6.
Nov. 4, 2023: A letter from NFL Players Association attorney Jeffrey Kessler is sent to the Broncos and the NFL’s management council. In the letter Kessler asserted any threat to bench Wilson after a refusal to adjust his contract “will violate, among other things, the Collective Bargaining Agreement, Mr. Wilson’s Player Contract and New York law.”
The letter also asserted the NFLPA “was particularly concerned that the Broncos still intend to commit these violations under the guise of ‘coaching decisions.”’ Kessler added in the letter the union and Wilson “reasonably anticipate arbitration and/or litigation against the Broncos and the Management Council, triggering your respective obligations to preserve potentially relevant documents.”
Dec. 16, 2023: In the Broncos’ third road game in 13 days, speculation about friction between Wilson and Payton reached a head in a 42-17 loss to the Detroit Lions. After the Broncos failed to score on a third-quarter drive when they had first-and-goal from the Lions’ 9-yard-line, Payton erupted at the officials when an offensive offside penalty wiped out a Denver fourth-down touchdown. He then turned his attention toward Wilson in a one-sided verbal barrage as the Broncos lined up for a field goal attempt down 21.
Both downplayed the incident in the days that followed.
“I don’t try to pay attention to [the social media fallout]. I was there,” Wilson said.
Dec. 24, 2023: The Broncos’ quest to earn a wild-card spot took a fatal blow with a 26-23 home loss to the New England Patriots. Wilson threw for 238 yards and two fourth-quarter touchdowns, but he was sacked five times as the Broncos punted seven times and went 4-of-13 on third down.
Payton raised some eyebrows when he called two timeouts in the waning minutes of what turned out to be the Patriots’ game-winning drive. New England had opened the drive with two run plays and looked initially like it would play for overtime.
“I was proud of how he battled, especially when we were down two touchdowns,” Payton said of Wilson. “He is fighting and gets us back in it. It is difficult to do, and yet he did it in pretty timely fashion.”
Dec. 27, 2023: In their weekly Wednesday team meeting, Payton informed players he decided to bench Wilson and make Jarrett Stidham the starter against the Los Angeles Chargers. Payton called it a football decision made because of a balky offense.
Dec. 29, 2023: In his first comments to the media since being benched, Wilson revealed the bye week conversations. “They definitely told me I was going to be benched and all that. That whole bye week I didn’t know what was going to be the case. I was going to be ready to play, I wanted to go to Buffalo and beat Buffalo … I wasn’t going to remove the injury guarantee. This game is such a physical game; I’ve played 12 years and all that … I know every time I step on the field it’s a physical game, I never play timid, I never play scared.”
The Broncos said Payton’s comments on Wilson’s benching would be the organization’s only comment at that time.
Dec. 31, 2023: The Broncos defeated the Chargers 16-9 and scored one touchdown. Stidham was efficient, as 95 of his 224 passing yards came on two first-half plays. However, the Broncos were eliminated from the playoff race after the victory.
Jan. 7, 2024: The Broncos closed the season with a 27-14 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. Denver finished 8-9, its seventh consecutive losing season. It was also the eighth consecutive playoff miss.
“You certainly would like to finish on a brighter note than that,” Payton said.
Jan. 9, 2024: Payton, Paton and Penner addressed the media on the team’s decision to bench Wilson, saying the conversations to adjust his contract and his eventual benching were separate incidents made weeks apart. Payton was also asked how Wilson and his representatives should have interpreted the threat of benching if no compromise was reached on a contract change: “We tried to make an adjustment to the contract. We did so with what we feel professionally is in the best interest of the Broncos.”
Feb. 25, 2024: During an appearance on the “I Am Athlete” podcast, Wilson left the door open for a return to Denver and said his focus is on winning more Super Bowls.
“I’ve got more fire than ever, honestly, especially over the past two years of what I’ve gone through,” Wilson said when Marshall asked about the 35-year-old quarterback’s desire. “Whether it’s in Denver or somewhere else, I hope it’s in Denver, I hope I get to finish there. I committed there, I wanted to be there. I want to be there.”
March 4, 2024: The Broncos decided to release Wilson and take on an $85 million dead money charge against their salary cap over the next two years. Wilson’s run ended with an 11-19 record, after three head coaches (including interim Jerry Rosburg), three playcallers, two losing seasons, two playoff misses, 42 touchdowns, 19 interceptions, seven lost fumbles and 100 sacks.