Russell Wilson opened up about his benching and it sounds like his time with the Denver Broncos is coming to an end.
Despite the Broncos still being in the playoff hunt, the nine-time Pro Bowler was benched and will backup journey Jarrett Stidham for Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers. According to Wilson, the team actually discussed benching him two months ago, following the Broncos’ biggest win of the season – a Week 8 upset of the Kansas City Chiefs.
Wilson confirmed Friday that the club approached him in late October and requested that he amend his contract.
“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 (Nov. 13). … 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 want to be able to play, I want to be able to help this team win. … I know every time I step on the field it’s a physical game. I never play timid, I never play scared.”
Wilson’s five-year, $242.6 million contract includes $39 million guaranteed in 2024. However, if he were unable to pass a physical on the fifth day of the new league year this coming March, he would be owed another $37 million. That is what the Broncos are allegedly trying to avoid paying, and keeping Wilson off the field and out of harm’s way over the next two weeks is the best way to ensure he passes that physical.
Wilson went on to say that he is hopeful that he still has a future with the franchise and helps them win a championship going forward. However, if this benching is a precursor to his departure and he is forced to play elsewhere, he is “prepared to do that somewhere else.”
The Broncos will host the Chargers on Sunday at 4:25 p.m.
