Russell Wilson confirms Broncos asked him to change contract

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Russell Wilson confirmed Friday that the Broncos asked him to change his contract during the bye week — specifically, that they asked him to alter the injury-guarantee portion of his contract that assures him of his 2025 base salary if he were to be injured heading into the start of the 2025 league year.

“They definitely told me I was going to be benched and all that,” Wilson said.

“They came up to me during the they came up to me during the bye week — beginning of the bye week. Monday or Tuesday — and they told me that if I didn’t change my contract — my injury guarantee — that I’d be benched for the rest of the year,” Wilson added.

Russell Wilson details that the Broncos asked him during the bye week to remove the injury guarantee from his contract, and that if he didn’t, “I’d be benched for the rest of the year.” pic.twitter.com/JTXJOtYQXW

— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) December 29, 2023

“I was definitely disappointed about it. And it was a process throughout the whole week, for the whole bye week. We just came off beating the Chiefs — played a pretty good game against the Chiefs — so, I was excited obviously for us fighting and for the playoffs and get on a hot streak.”

The Broncos would win their next three games, extending that streak to five contests. Meanwhile, Russell Wilson continued starting while this issue bubbled. He said the NFLPA and the league “got involved … at some point.”

ALTERING THE INJURY GUARANTEE NOT AN OPTION FOR RUSSELL WILSON

“I wasn’t going to remove — take away — the injury guarantee, because this game is such a physical game,” he said as he expounded Friday.

“I’ve played 12 years and all that, and it matters to me. But at the end of the day, I think more than anything else — I want to be able to play. I want to be able to help this team win. I want to be able to do whatever it takes.

“And also, at the same time, I love this game. So, I know every time I step on this field, it’s a physical game. That’s the part — I never play timid. I never play scared. That’s how I’ve always played.”

The guarantee remained, and Russell Wilson played the following seven games, which saw the Broncos go 4-3. They won their first three games after the bye — including late-game comebacks over the Buffalo Bills and Minnesota Vikings — before dropping three of four in December to put their playoff hopes on life support.

It was after last Sunday’s 26-23 loss to New England — the Broncos’ first to a sub-.500 team since Week 5 — that Sean Payton made the move to bench Wilson.

Payton said earlier Friday that he was “not privy to” any of the discussions revolving around Wilson potentially waiving the injury guarantee.

Sean Payton says he’s “not privy to” any of the conversations regarding contract terms, etc. re: Russell Wilson. “I’m handling the football,” he says. pic.twitter.com/dvGpE46aZP

— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) December 29, 2023

“I’m handling the football,” Payton said.