Could Broncos face legal action over Russell Wilson situation?
Dec 3, 2023; Houston, Texas, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson (3) warms up before the game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
The Denver Broncos approached Russell Wilson earlier this season about making a significant change to his contract, and the way the team handled the situation reportedly led to a legal threat.
Mark Maske of the Washington Post reported on Sunday that the NFL Players Association threatened the Broncos with legal action on behalf of Wilson back in November. In a letter to the NFL and the Broncos, the NFLPA said that the perceived threat to bench Wilson if he did not agree to change the injury guarantee in his contract was a violation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and the law.
“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,” the November 4 letter stated. “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.’”
The Broncos did not bench Wilson at that time, and no formal legal action was taken.
Wilson has a $37 million injury guarantee in his contract for 2025. If he were to suffer an injury that prevented him from passing a physical by March 2024, that $37 million for 2025 would become fully guaranteed.
Wilson said this week that the Broncos threatened back in November to bench him for the rest of the season if he did not agree to change his contract. The 35-year-old said he never considered removing the guarantee and was “disappointed” that the team asked him to.
Most people believe Denver’s decision to bench Wilson with two games remaining in the season was financially motivated. It is possible that the NFLPA could consider legal action again, but it might be hard to prove that Sean Payton benched Wilson for anything other than performance reasons.
Even if the Broncos are not facing any legal liability, there has been talk that the Wilson situation could hurt them in another significant way.