Russell Wilson has become somewhat of a scapegoat, as many are quick to point at him for the Denver Broncos’ shortcomings this season. Certainly, Wilson wasn’t the biggest problem in Denver in 2022, but that was exacerbated by his enormous price tag (trade compensation and price tag) and the overall level of dysfunction that surrounded the team. But, Wilson wasn’t blameless and he obviously wasn’t the solution.
Turn the chapter to the 2023 NFL season and Wilson, despite having a new head coach in Sean Payton and a relatively porous defense, has been blamed for the team’s 1-4 record. He’s actually played relatively well, completing 66.9 percent of his passes for 1,210 yards with 11 touchdowns and two interceptions.
And someone who’s taken notice of his performance is his direct opponent on Thursday, Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes. The Chiefs MVP quarterback came to the defense of Wilson, in showing support for how the veteran quarterback has played through a quarter of the season.
“Yeah, I mean, he’s played good football,” Mahomes explained, via USA Today’s Chiefs Wire. “I think numbers have said it; the play looks like that. And so he’s a top-tier quarterback in this league. He’s won Super Bowls. He’s put up crazy numbers, so a lot of people kind of like some other quarterbacks who put all the blame on him.
“But he’s playing great football, and sometimes the score doesn’t go your way. And so I know this will really be a hard-fought battle. Last year was a hard-fought battle against the Broncos. Both times, we played because they have a top quarterback and a good defense. And so I’m excited for the opportunity that we have to go up against a great team.”
It’s certainly high praise from Mahomes. And Thursday’s matchup will be an intriguing one to follow, as Wilson and the Broncos look to defeat the Chiefs for the first time since 2015.
