ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Russell Wilson was sitting at his locker following practice Friday, scrolling through his phone as he often does whether he's the starter or backup.
A couple reporters stopped by to say hello and then Wilson stood up and made a motion to the media he was ready to talk for the first time since head coach Sean Payton told him Wednesday he was going to be replaced by Jarrett Stidham as the Broncos' starting quarterback this Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Wilson left no doubt that from his perspective, the Broncos threatened to bench him if he didn't change the injury guarantee in his contract.
It was during the bye week, more specifically Tuesday, Oct. 31, after the Broncos had defeated Green Bay and Kansas City in back-to-back games to move their record from 1-5 to 3-5. At that point league sources say the Broncos tried to find a solution to keeping Wilson on the field moving forward. Broncos general manager George Paton and contract guru Rich Hurtado spoke by phone to Wilson's agent Mark Rodgers. Wilson nor Broncos head coach Sean Payton were in on the call.
The Broncos' contingent wanted to move Wilson's injury guarantee that partially protected the quarterback's $37 million payout for the 2025 season.
No matter what happens to Wilson from here on out, release or trade, he will get $39 million for next season, 2024. But at this point, Wilson's $37 million for 2025 was only guaranteed if he suffered a season-ending injury and couldn't pass a physical on March 17. If Wilson is on the roster March 17, his $37 million for 2025 becomes fully guaranteed. The Broncos didn't ask him to void the injury guarantee, but they did ask him to move it back, which, from Wilson's perspective, is essentially the same thing.
Wilson balked.
"We beat the Chiefs and they came up to me during the bye week and they told me if I didn't change my contract, my injury guarantee, I'd be benched for the rest of the year,'' Wilson said Friday at his locker for his first comments since Payton announced Wilson was going to be replaced by Stidham. "We had 9 games left or so. I was definitely disappointed about it. It was a process throughout the whole week, the whole bye week. We had just came off beating the Chiefs so I was excited for us to fight for the playoffs and get on a hot streak. And the NFLPA and NFL got involved at that point."
The union and league determined the Broncos had not violated the collective bargaining agreement with their approach to Wilson. League sources told 9NEWS no threat was made by the Broncos. Wilson heard otherwise.
"They definitely told me I was going to be benched, that whole bye week I didn't know what was going to be the case,'' Wilson said. "I was going to be ready to play. I wanted to go to Buffalo to beat Buffalo. I wasn't going to remove or push the injury guarantee. This game is such a physical game. I've played it 12 years, it matters to me. But at the end of the day I want to be able to play, I want to be able to help this team win. I want to do whatever it takes. And at the same time I love this game. ...
"It definitely hurt. It was a low blow. At the same time I just wanted to keep my head down and try to do what I can do with each play, each game, each moment.''
In the business of the NFL, it's not uncommon for teams to occassionally ask a player to adjust his contract. After playing four years for the Broncos, defensive tackle Mike Purcell was asked to take a pay cut from $3.5 million to $2.25 million prior to this season. Purcell accepted, and he's about to finish up his fifth season.
Such maneuvers don't often happen for star quarterbacks, though. In Wilson's case, the Broncos did not ask for a pay cut, although the request to move his injury guarantee was not insignificant.
As it turned out, Wilson was not benched. He started the next seven games. He is the 8th-ranked quarterback with a 98.0 passer rating on the strength of 26 touchdowns against just 8 interceptions. But Payton had increasingly expressed his frustration towards Wilson in recent weeks and with the Broncos now a long shot to reach the playoffs with a 7-8 record, he's benched now. Wilson will be the No. 2 quarterback to Stidham for the game Sunday against the Chargers and presumably the season finale next weekend at the Las Vegas Raiders.
"It was definitely disappointing,'' Wilson said. "We've obviously been competing all year, trying to get to the playoffs. Still got a chance and everything else but for me I love being out there with my guys and doing whatever it takes."
RELATED: League sources: Broncos contract talks with Wilson from bye week unrelated to December benching
Payton said Friday he was not involved in the contract discussions back on Halloween night, while reiterating in so many words he made the move for performance, not financial reasons.
“I’m not privy to any of those (discussions),'' Payton said Friday. "My focus has been on winning, and I am going to go back to what I said at the beginning of the week. I know how this has been written, but this decision strictly is what I believe gives us a chance to win No. 8. It’s a hard decision, but for me, where I’m at in my career, that is all I am interested in—getting another win. There would be no other reason.”
Payton turned 60 years old Friday. Wilson was brief when asked about how Payton told him the news.
"He just said I'm going to become No. 2," Wilson said.
This isn't how it was supposed to end when the Broncos acquired Wilson from Seattle in March 2022 in exchange for two, first-round draft picks, two, second-round draft picks and three players -- Noah Fant, Shelby Harris and Drew Lock. The Broncos then extended Wilson's contract so that he was guaranteed $161 million over four years, through 2025. There are three more years, at roughly $41 million per, through 2028 but they are not guaranteed.
Wilson collected $57 million in cash last year -- that included a $50 signing bonus for salary cap purposes -- and $28 million this year. And he will collect $39 million next year even if after his expected released. That's $124 million for two years of play.
In good times and bad the past two years, though -- and there's been more bad than good based on his 11-19 record -- Wilson has competed to the end. He has always ferociously competited to the end. He has orchestrated four, fourth quarter comeback victories this season and nearly pulled out two other games late.
"I think for me I came here to play here, to win, I knew it was going to be a process,'' Wilson said. "I signed a 7-year deal for us to go and play hard and that's my goal every time I step on the field between the white lines.''
On being a backup for the first time in his 12-year career, Wilson said: "It's challenging. For sure. But at the same time I've got a job to do. ... Most important thing for me right now is try to be the best teammate I can be. And leading in practice and leading the young guys and doing whatever it takes. I have my head ready to play just in case.
"I'm rooting for Jarrett. I told him. He knows personally. At the end of the day my whole goal is for us to win this game. Whatever it takes, extra film, whatever he needs. We're all in this together.''
He was asked one more time about the Halloween night bargaining talks and the injury guarantee or hit the bench tactic.
"I was definitely disappointed,'' Wilson said. "Definitely surprised. I felt like we were doing something special and rolling. ... But listen at the end of the day what God's got for me I'm going to keep trusting in him. I'm going to keep putting my best foot forward every day and be as professional as I can be every day no matter what the circumstances.''
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