The Denver Broncos’ defense and special teams units led the team to an 11-10 win over the San Francisco 49ers in Week 3.
After the game, Broncos punter Corliss Waitman was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week following a 10-punt performance that featured six punts downed inside the 20-yard line and two punts downed inside the five-yard line.
During the “ManningCast” broadcast of Monday Night Football earlier this week, Eli Manning praised Waitman by taking a sarcastic jab at quarterback Russell Wilson, who’s off to a slow start in Denver.
“They should have paid that punter $235 million instead of Russell,” Eli joked during the broadcast.
After Eli’s quip went viral, the former quarterback later clarified that he didn’t mean for the joke to be taken as hard-hitting critical analysis.
“I don’t think we’re trying to be critical,” Eli said, via Michael McCarthy of FrontOfficeSports.com. “I think we always try to support the guys that are in the game. I think sometimes, ‘Hey, it’s live TV.’ I never try to take a real shot at somebody. I think that was obviously a very outrageous joke — because a punter had 10 punts. Nothing against Russell. He’s going to do great.”
The Broncos are 2-1 through three weeks but the team’s offense has been largely underwhelming with Wilson leading the charge. The veteran quarterback has completed 59.4% of his passes for 743 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. He’s also been sacked nine times.
Wilson will aim to turn things around when Denver faces off against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 4. Eli, meanwhile, will call eight more MNF games with his brother, Peyton, on ESPN2 this season.
