Franchise royalty — and former staff govt — John Elway watched Russell Wilson and the Denver Broncos string collectively a depressing 2022 season, which resulted in Nathaniel Hackett being fired after 15 video games. With 2022 now within the rearview and Sean Payton on the town, Elway feels that the Broncos are poised to proper the ship.
Speaking to ABC 7 Denver, Elway expressed how Payton is a perfect match for the Broncos.
“I’m excited. He’s an ideal match for the place we’re proper now, the place the Broncos are proper now,” Elway stated. “Clearly, he has plenty of skins on the wall. He received a Tremendous Bowl earlier than and received a ton of soccer video games. I don’t assume there might have been a greater match. I believe he will likely be nice.
“It’s going to take a while with a brand new system, new coaches, though the spring was superb. The expectations are up there. However they’ve calmed the expectations in comparison with final yr, which is sweet. We’ve got to do higher with accidents. Hopefully we will keep wholesome.”
Elway additionally alluded to Payton’s “nice really feel” for teaching and creating quarterbacks as a plus for Wilson and Denver’s offense.
Denver acquired Payton — who took a yr off from teaching after the 2021 NFL season and served as an NFL Studio Analyst for FOX Sports activities — and a 2024 third-round draft choose from the New Orleans Saints for the No. 29 choose within the 2023 NFL Draft and its 2024 second-rounder in February.
Throughout his 15 seasons with the Saints (2006-11, 2013-21), Payton went 152-89 (63.1% profitable share) as head coach, highlighted by profitable Tremendous Bowl XLIV. Throughout his time in New Orleans, Payton coached quarterback Drew Brees, a possible first-ballot Corridor of Famer.
Throughout his 4 seasons as quarterbacks coach/offensive coordinator with the New York Giants (1999-2002), Payton coached Kerry Collins, who helped the staff get to Tremendous Bowl XXXV. Payton was then offensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys from 2003-05, the place he was a part of a training workers that signed future four-time Professional Bowl quarterback Tony Romo as an undrafted free agent, whereas additionally teaching Drew Bledsoe in 2005.
Denver is coming off a 5-12 season that noticed Wilson, a Tremendous Bowl champion and nine-time Professional Bowler, put collectively arguably the worst marketing campaign of his profession.
Wilson totaled simply 3,524 passing yards, 16 passing touchdowns, 11 interceptions and an 84.4 passer score, whereas finishing 60.5% of his passes in 2022. The passing touchdowns, passer score and completion share have been profession lows for Wilson. Moreover, the Broncos ranked final within the NFL in factors per recreation (16.9).
Denver acquired Wilson and a fourth-round draft choose from the Seattle Seahawks final offseason for 2 first- and second-rounders, a fourth-rounder, tight finish Noah Fant, defensive lineman Shelby Harris and quarterback Drew Lock. The group then double-downed on Wilson by giving him a five-year, $245 million extension earlier than the 2022 season.
The hope is that Payton is the suitable man to assist revive Wilson’s profession.
“Sean has an excellent really feel for the QB place,” Elway stated. “He is so educated on the offensive aspect. I believe he is aware of what Russell will do the very best. Like each good soccer staff, we’ve to attempt to run the soccer and run it efficiently. And if we do this, it provides Russell a a lot better probability to achieve success within the passing recreation.
“[Wilson] is such a optimistic man. I believe he’s enthusiastic about it. With what was occurring final yr, plenty of various things, Sean brings in a lot expertise. I believe Russell is trying ahead to that coach to place him in the very best place to achieve success. … It was a troublesome yr for him final yr. However he’s optimistic and hard. He’ll bounce again, and I believe he’s going to have a a lot better yr this yr.”
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Russell Wilson
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