Though his play improved in 2023 from 2022, Wilson clearly didn’t match all that well with head coach Sean Payton, who sat him in Week 17 and Week 18.
Payton said in January that a final decision hadn’t been made on Wilson’s future, but after benching the nine-time Pro Bowler, the writing seemed to be on the wall — and the checkbook.
Following the Week 17 trip to the pine, it became public that Denver was looking to restructure the quarterback’s contract during the Week 9 bye. General manager George Paton confirmed in January that the club did speak with Wilson’s agent about the contract situation but said the benching was independent of that discussion. Wilson has a $37 million injury guarantee for 2025 that becomes fully guaranteed in March, so it would seem a decision on his future in the Mile High City should come shortly.
If he ends up employed elsewhere, Wilson said he hasn’t ruminated about any future suitors.
“Honestly, I haven’t thought about it,” he said.
While an optimistic approach has always been prevalent with Wilson — and clearly still is — he admitted sitting the final two weeks of last season was an arduous endeavor.
“You swallow that pill, you swallow what you’re going through,” he said. “Yeah, it was hard. … I didn’t talk to anybody about it, really.”
Nonetheless, it hasn’t deterred him from believing a bright future still lays ahead.
“Next five years I get to hold two more Super Bowl trophies, that’s my goal,” Wilson said. “That’s my plan … knowing that you want to be one of the greatest winners to play this game.”