ESPN analyst Robert Griffin III is not a fan of how Sean Payton handled the Russell Wilson situation. The news that the Denver Broncos would be benching Wilson for Jarrett Stidham sent shockwaves around the NFL world. Griffin III accused Payton of “doing Russell Wilson dirty” in a podcast appearance.
Russell Wilson’s biggest opposition this year was Sean Payton. Embarrassed him in the media, on the sideline and every chance he got. After a long year of showing the locker room that Russ was never his guy, he benched him despite his improved play
Robert Griffin III Accuses Sean Payton Of Being Dirty
Wilson’s play has improved in 2023 and yet the decision was still made to bench the quarterback. In all likelihood, this will lead to Wilson being cut in the offseason. Griffin III had some strong opinions about Payton.
“Sean Payton has been doing Russell Wilson dirty since the moment he became the Head Coach of the Denver Broncos. Hasn’t once shown him the respect he has earned as a Super Bowl Winning QB or with the respect you show to a QB your organization traded the farm for.”
“Embarrassed him in the media, on the sideline and every chance he got. After a long year of showing the locker room that Russ was never his guy, he benched him despite his improved play.”
He accuses Payton of showing up Wilson in order to show the team that Wilson was not the answer no matter what happened on the field. The sad thing is this isn’t uncommon.
Not Uncommon
We see this all the time in sports. Payton didn’t choose Wilson. He wants to put his own stamp on the team. Even though the team gave up a king’s ransom for the Super Bowl-winning quarterback, Payton wants his own guy. It shows that the NFL can be a cruel business. Other teams are the ones who benefit from this. Many teams will be looking for a quarterback next season and if Wilson is available, many teams would love to sign him.
Who will quarterback the Broncos in 2024? It likely won’t be Wilson and it will be interesting to see what direction Payton decides to go.
