Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton and quarterback Russell Wilson seem to have a complicated relationship, to say the least.
Rumblings about their disconnect have persisted all season long, and this past weekend, things seemed to reach a boiling point when Payton was seen reaming Wilson out on the sideline late in the team’s loss to the Detroit Lions.
Payton has insisted that his relationship with Wilson is just fine, but Fox Sports analyst Colin Cowherd is not buying it.
“Sean has blown up with Russell at the podium, on the sidelines. When I look at Russell and Sean, I don’t think it works,” he said on his podcast this week.
Cowherd was joined by John Middlekauff on the podcast, and Middlekauff said that he thinks Payton simply expects Wilson to be Drew Brees.
“He really wants to yell at him all the time, I would imagine,” Middlelkauff said. “Let’s face it, when you go into a new relationship and your previous relationship is the best relationship you’re probably ever going to have, he [Payton] compares everything to Drew Brees. If I was a betting man right now, Russell Wilson will not be on the team (next year). If he [Payton] wants him gone, he will be gone.”
Wilson has certainly not played poorly this season. Through 14 games, he has thrown for 2,832 yards, 24 touchdowns and eight interceptions while completing 66.3 percent of his passes and posting a passer rating of 97.5. At the very least, it’s a major step up from his disastrous first season in Denver.
However, it’s pretty clear that something is missing in the Payton-Wilson dynamics. Payton evidently is not too fond of Wilson, and Russell Wilson is not the type of fiery guy to offer too much of a response. Perhaps that bothers Sean Payton.
The Broncos did win six of seven games to inch their way back into the AFC playoff picture, but they then went and lost to the Lions in Week 15, which severely damaged their postseason hopes.
Denver is currently 7-7 and will take on the New England Patriots this Sunday. It will then battle the Los Angeles Chargers and Las Vegas Raiders to wrap up the regular season.
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