Russell Wilson revamped his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers after two very difficult years with the Denver Broncos. Despite an enormous hit in the salary cap because of the quarterback’s contract, Sean Payton showed him the exit door to draft Bo Nix.
In the end, the move seems to have benefited both teams. The Steelers won 10 games and qualified for the playoffs, while the Broncos were one of the big surprises of the season, securing the last wild card spot.
Now, just before the start of the NFL playoffs, an interview with Sean Payton has resurfaced, explaining why he let Wilson go to begin a rebuilding process aimed at the Super Bowl.
Why did Broncos let Russell Wilson go?
On his official X account, Andrew Mason reposted an interview he conducted with Sean Payton in September, in which he indirectly explained the big reason why he chose Bo Nix over Russell Wilson. This was the key factor to release the quarterback opening the door for the veteran to sign with the Steelers.
“I think the sack statistic, by and large, is more a quarterback statistic than an offensive line statistic. There’s some quarterbacks that are more difficult to protect forward. Some that aren’t. We saw all the time on college tape, he was someone that got rid of the ball (Bo Nix). It becomes frustrating to rush, if you will, because of his ability to throw it away or tu flush and find an answer. It’s something that he has done well throughout his career.”
This season, Russell Wilson was sacked 33 times in 11 games with the Steelers. Meanwhile, Bo Nix suffered 24 sacks in 17 games. A huge difference that Payton had already anticipated months earlier.
