What’s it like working with Russell Wilson? ‘Meetings, meetings, meetings’

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Perhaps you’re the type of person who loathes meetings.

Maybe you even subscribe to the thought provided by a workplace-mocking poster sold at Despair.com, which reads, “Meetings — None of us is as dumb as all of us.”

If that is the case, working with the Denver Broncos in the Russell Wilson Era would not be for you.

Meetings are part and parcel of the NFL experience. And while they don’t exact a physical toll like padded practices and the games, there is a mental grind.

And with Wilson at quarterback and a new offense to install, the meetings come at a non-stop pace.

“Team meetings with Russ. Team meetings with each other,” wide receiver Tim Patrick said. “Meetings, meetings, meetings. There’s a lot, trust me.”

The next meeting is never far from one’s mind. Even when Patrick met media after the Broncos’ practice Wednesday, his mind was already racing to the post-practice confab that awaited.

“I’ve got to go to a meeting right after this, so, we’ve got to hurry this up,” he said, smiling.

But the Broncos consider the endless meeting hours necessary to get the offense installed.

“It helps, because — you guys know — the offense is difficult,” Patrick said. “Just the regular, routine practice is not going to be enough to get it down pat, so, we have to do things on our own so we can get it.

“We don’t want to be one of those teams to make excuses. New coach, new quarterback, and we don’t get going until the end of the year. We want to come out of the gate firing on all cylinders, because it’s Super Bowl or bust this year.”

The offense isn’t at that point yet. Not even close. Nathaniel Hackett pointed out Tuesday that the entire scheme has been installed. However, installation and efficient execution are two different things.

“It’s going to be cleaner and more detailed than now,” Patrick said. “Right now, we’re just running the plays and we just need to hone in on the little things, but you can’t do that if you don’t know the plays yet.

“We’re just out there running the plays right now. The more we meet, the more we’re with each other and the more we’re meeting and talking about what he likes and what we like, the more it just hones in the whole offense and we run it to perfection.”

That standard is necessary not just for success — but mere survival in a Wilson-paced locker room.

“If you see Russ doing it — and you’re not doing it — if you’re not putting in extra work, you’re not serious about winning,” Patrick said, “and you don’t belong on this team.”

And the myriad meetings matter for setting that standard.

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