Ex-Bronco offers concerning reason for Russell Wilson’s struggles
Aug 13, 2022; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson (3) before the preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Russell Wilson and his Denver Broncos teammates have struggled all season to get on the same page, and some troubling new information has surfaced about what has contributed to the disconnect.
Former Broncos offensive lineman Tyler Polumbus said on 92.5 FM Altitude Sports Radio Denver Wednesday that several people inside the organization have told him Wilson has been “losing his mind” on the field. What he means by that is that Wilson has been calling audibles at the line of scrimmage that none of his teammates understand. That is because some of the playcalls are from Wilson’s days with the Seattle Seahawks.
“Probably over the last two or three weeks you’ve had Russell Wilson and Nathaniel Hackett have their first real marital problems on the philosophy of the offense,” Polumbus said. “There’s been some behind-the-scenes conversations about those disagreements and how they should be calling plays.
“More concerning to me, though — Russell is losing his mind out there. He’s losing his mind. He’s at the line of scrimmage using audibles from the Seahawks. The guys don’t know what the audibles are. He’s using code words and guys don’t know what the code words are. They’re coming back to the huddle like, ‘Dude, what are you saying out there? We don’t know what that is.’ He’s losing his mind right now.”
You can hear the discussion at the 2:19 mark below:
Assuming that information is accurate, it sounds like a massive issue. It may also help explain why Wilson recently agreed to start wearing a wristband with plays on it after not wearing one in Seattle.
Wilson has looked totally lost at times in Hackett’s offense. He has thrown just 7 touchdown passes compared to 5 interceptions in 8 games. An insane stat this week showed just how much Denver’s offense has been holding the team back. Having your quarterback call out plays that no one knows certainly is not a recipe for success.