Broncos Ring of Famer Karl Mecklenburg blasts Russell Wilson
Mar 5, 2024, 3:55 PM
The Denver Broncos will cut Russell Wilson when the new league year begins next week, and some new opinions on the QB are being shared.
Count Broncos Ring of Famer Karl Mecklenburg among those not impressed with how Wilson handled his time in the Mile High City.
In a scathing tweet from Mecklenburg on Tuesday afternoon, he blasted Wilson as a poor leader and being self-centered. Here’s the full post, along with a graphic that says “GOT CUT” over a picture of Wilson.
Russell Wilson isn’t a leader. The foolishness that went on in his first year at Denver with a private coach, his own office at the facility, and family at training camp when other players didn’t have those privileges, proved his self centeredness. pic.twitter.com/AVKfiWjdF6
— Karl Mecklenburg CSP, NFL (@KarlMecklenburg) March 5, 2024
“Russell Wilson isn’t a leader,” Mecklenburg wrote. “The foolishness that went on in his first year at Denver with a private coach, his own office at the facility, and family at training camp when other players didn’t have those privileges, proved his self centeredness.”
Wilson’s private QB coach, Jake Heaps, did have access to the Broncos facility under former head coach Nathaniel Hackett. Sean Payton famously put a stop to that in 2023 at his introductory press conference, but Heaps had that privilege in Wilson’s first season.
Wilson also had an office, something that was viewed as a little unusual at the time. Rather than be one of the guys in the locker room, Wilson had his own space. Interim head coach Jerry Rosburg shut that down during the final two games of the disappointing 5-12 campaign.
As for the family access, Wilson’s married to a celebrity in pop-star Ciara. She likely needed her own gate with security, avoiding the chaos that could’ve come with being on the hill where fans watch or in the other family tents. People could’ve asked for pictures, autographs and more while she was trying to watch practice. Mecklenburg seems a little off-base on that critique.
Still, he makes this thoughts known, unloading on Wilson’s failed tenure in Denver. Overall, the QB went just 11-19 in two seasons. For perspective, Mecklenburg played with the Broncos for 12 seasons from 1983-1994, had 79 sacks and made six Pro Bowls.
A three-time First-Team All-Pro, Mecklenburg was inducted into the Broncos Ring of Fame in 2001.
