In the eyes of the NFLPA, Russell Wilson matter is resolved, but he was “mistreated”

LAS VEGAS — Regarding Russell Wilson and the Denver Broncos, the situation remains officially unresolved, although all signs continue to point to a parting of the ways.

But when it comes to the kerfuffle regarding his contract and the Broncos asking him to delay the onset of his injury-protection guarantee clause in his 2025 base salary, that matter is now closed in the eyes of the NFL Players Association.

“We did get to a resolution,” NFLPA executive director Lloyd Howell said Wednesday.

A few moments later, Howell expanded on that.

“We believe that our member was in the right and was being mistreated,” Howell told media just off the dais after the press conference, held at the Super Bowl media center inside the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. “We support our player and how they should be treated, be it financially or in any other manner.”

Russell Wilson and his agent, Mark Rodgers, had conveyed their thoughts on the situation to the NFLPA after the conversations happened in the two days following the Broncos’ Oct. 29 win over the Kansas City Chiefs.

A few days later, the NFLPA “>sent a letter to the Broncos and the NFL Management Council regarding its allegations, asserting that they would represent a violation of the NFL’s collective-bargaining agreement with the NFLPA. The letter included some strong wording regarding the allegations.

“It has come to our attention that the Denver Broncos recently informed Mr. Wilson and his Certified Contract Advisor that if Mr. Wilson would not renegotiate his Player Contract to relinquish certain salary guarantees, the Broncos would remove him from the starting lineup. If the Broncos follow-through on the Club’s threat, the Club will violate, among other things, the Collective Bargaining Agreement, Mr. Wilson’s Player Contract and New York law. And, we are particularly concerned that the Broncos still intend to commit these violations under the guise of ‘coaching decisions.’”

NFLPA executive director Lloyd Howell, on the aftermath of DEN attempting to adjust the status of the injury guarantee on Russell Wilson's contract: “I’m not going to get into exactly what happened or didn’t happen with Russ, but the PA was involved & we did get to a resolution.” pic.twitter.com/K0RzIh5oqQ

— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) February 8, 2024

“The PA is very involved, working with our member, as well as their representative, working to get it to a resolution that’s protecting our member and putting them in the best financial position that was originally agreed to and we’ll continue (doing that),” Howell said Wednesday.

In the end, nothing happened at that time. Wilson remained in the lineup. The Broncos, who had won their previous two games, took the next three when they returned from their bye. Only after they lost back-to-back games in December — including one to the woebegone New England Patriots on Christmas Eve at home — did Sean Payton finally bench Russell Wilson.