The Broncos’ Russell Wilson era has been a time to forget so far.
Mile High may be feeling rock bottom after Sunday’s loss to the Jets, in which Wilson and Co. dropped to 1-4 in a disappointing start to the season. ESPN personality Mike Greenberg didn’t hide his feelings about Denver on Monday morning, and the Jets superfan specifically went after Wilson in merciless fashion.
“Russell Wilson looks the worst I’ve ever seen him look,” Greenberg said on Monday’s episode of Get Up. “Whether it was under Nathaniel Hackett or anybody else. … He looks terrible.”
The game was all the more significant due to Denver coach Sean Payton’s viral criticism of Nathaniel Hackett, the former Broncos coach and current Jets offensive coordinator, before the season started.
.@Espngreeny went OFF on Russell Wilson 😳
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) October 9, 2023
"Russell Wilson looks the worst I've ever seen him look." pic.twitter.com/V4navFjUvK
In his first season as a head coach last year, Hackett was fired before he could even finish the campaign as Denver significantly fell short of expectations in Wilson’s first year there. The Broncos finished the year 5–12 and were able to lure Payton out of retirement. The Super Bowl-winning coach eventually spoke about the previous regime in July, calling it “one of the worst coaching jobs” in NFL history.
Payton’s comment prompted several responses from Jets players defending their OC, and sure enough, they defended Hackett on the field Sunday. Hackett was named an honorary captain for the game was given a game ball after the 31–21 win, while Payton once again finds himself as the butt of the joke.
Wilson finished the game with just 196 yards through the air and now bears a 5–15 record as a starter with the Broncos.