Broncos tell QB Wilson that theyll be letting him go
Two years ago, Russell Wilson exuberantly declared he intended to play a dozen years in Denver and double the trio of Lombardi Trophies in the Broncos' lobby.
General manager George Paton was equally dizzy, thrilled to send four premium draft picks and three players to Seattle for a younger, healthier version of Peyton Manning and excited to sign the Super Bowl-winning quarterback to that $242 million extension six months later.
Acquiring Wilson turned out to be the biggest miscalculation in franchise history. He won just 11 of his 30 starts and witnessed both the coaching and quarterback carousels continue to churn in Denver, which hasn't been to the playoffs since winning Super Bowl 50 on Feb. 7, 2016.
Wilson endured his worst season under Nathaniel Hackett in 2022 and bounced back under Sean Payton in 2023 only to get benched for Jarrett Stidham for the final two games.
On Monday, the Broncos informed Wilson they'd release him next week when the new league year begins.
“We thank Russell for his contributions and dedications to our team and community while wishing him the best as he continues his career,” the team posted on its social media channels.
The divorce will be a costly one for the Broncos, however. They still owe Wilson his $39 million salary for 2024 minus whatever he'd sign for with another team, which would likely be the veteran's minimum salary of $1.21 million.
The Broncos also will take a record $89 million hit in dead cap charges over the next two seasons, which will crimp their roster building as they seek to end an eight-year playoff drought that's featured six head coaches and 13 starting quarterbacks since Manning retired a month after the franchise's third Super Bowl title.
Wilson thanked Broncos fans, teammates, locker room attendants and other staff on social media posts.
“Tough times don't last but tough people do,” Wilson concluded. “God's got me. I am excited for what's next.” He signed off, “#3” Wilson enjoyed a bounceback year last season, throwing for 26 touchdowns with eight interceptions in 15 games.
But it wasn't good enough and Payton went with Stidham for the final two games. Stidham went 1-1 and the Broncos finished 8-9, their seventh straight losing season.
Although he had maintained a Wilson return was possible, Payton hinted at an impending split at the NFL scouting combine last week when talking about Denver's long string of middling quarterbacks and suggested his job was to make sure “the next one” was the right QB to lead the Broncos back into contention.
Wilson, who had gone radio silent on social media at Payton's request a year ago, recently resumed sharing videos of his workouts and over the weekend he removed all Broncos references from his profile on X.
Wilson was acquired in 2022 from the Seattle Seahawks, where he won a Super Bowl title after the 2013 season with a win over the Broncos, for a bevy of draft picks (two first-rounders and two seconds) and players (Drew Lock, Noah Fant and Shelby Harris).
He signed a nearly quarter-billion dollar extension before playing a single down in Denver and then went 4-11 in his first season under Hackett, who was fired after 15 games.
Payton had Wilson dial back his social media presence a year ago and a focused and fit Wilson showed up to training camp 20 pounds lighter.
He went 7-8 before losing his starting job. Wilson contended the Broncos had threatened to bench him for the final nine games if he didn't push back his $37 million injury guarantee.
He declined to adjust his contract and started seven more games before getting benched in what Payton insisted was a football move, not a financial one.
Eagles All-Pro center Kelce calls it a career
Jason Kelce has retired after 13 seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles.
The 36-year-old Kelce officially called it quits Monday
at the Eagles' NovaCare Complex, ending a career in which he became not only one of the great centers of his era who played a key role in the franchise's lone Super Bowl championship but a beloved Philly personality and popular podcast host.
“Let's see how long this lasts,” said Kelce, wearing a sleeveless Eagles T-shirt, before he burst into tears and needed several moments to compose himself at a news conference attended by his parents, Ed and Donna, and brother, Chiefs star tight end Travis.
Kelce, a six-time firstteam All-Pro, needed 45 minutes to recount his career from his childhood in Ohio to his final days with the Eagles through tears, laughter and many thanks to his biggest influences before he finally announced he was retiring.
Kelce was a sixth-round pick out of Cincinnati in the 2011 draft. The burly, bushyhaired and bearded Kelce has been a stalwart of the offensive line since he was drafted and as an Iron Man after he missed most of the 2012 season with a partially torn MCL and torn ACL.
The moment that endeared him for life to the Philly faithful came at the Super Bowl parade following the 2017 season when he dressed as one of Philadelphia's famed Mummers, and the ultimate underdog delivered a fiery, profane speech that whipped the crowd into a frenzy.
“No one likes us! No one likes us! No one likes us! We don't care,” Kelce exclaimed that day in February 2018. “We're from Philly! (Expletive) Philly. No one likes us! We don't care!”
Kelce recalled that moment Monday, saying: “I won't forget the parade and what it meant to the city of Philadelphia. The joy in our community and the closure it gave so many.”
Also
Receiver Mike Evans has agreed to a two-year, $52 million contract to remain with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers instead of testing his worth in free agency.
Evans, 30, is the only player in NFL history to begin his career with 10 consecutive seasons with 1,000-plus yards receiving and is Tampa Bay's career leader in receptions (762), yardage (11,680) and touchdowns (94).
• The Minnesota Vikings released running back Alexander Mattisony, with the club continuing to seek solutions to a lagging rushing attack.
Mattison was coming off an unremarkable first season as the primary ball carrier and lost the starting job to Ty Chandler for the last four games. Mattison rushed for a career-high 700 yards and had three receiving touchdowns, but a lack of explosiveness at the line minimized his impact.