(Editor’s Note: (This is an excerpt from Mike Sandow’s Choice Six of December 18, 2023.)
Sean Payton quarterback explosion Russell Wilson invited all kinds of speculation by saying he was angry about working on the sidelines.
It’s hard to blame Payton when the officials wipe out the Broncos’ touchdown. A former head coach says officials have “lost their minds” seeking penalties related to Philadelphia’s tush-push plays.
It’s hard to understand why Peyton would bring that anger to the quarterback.
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Sean Payton downplayed the sideline with Russell Wilson
The nature of Peyton’s relationship with Wilson was fueled by opposing changes during a five-game winning streak. As Denver has lost two of its past three, including a 42-17 loss to Detroit on Saturday, the tension seems to be rekindling. The topic is interesting because the Broncos must decide to fully guarantee another $37 million in Wilson’s contract after the season.
A search of Peyton’s in-season media sessions turned up a couple of mildly positive sentences about the quarterback he inherited, but not much else. That’s not to say the coach and quarterback are headed for divorce, but given how Peyton handled Drew Brees during his tenure in New Orleans, it seems like a good idea to let the public know.
Some of these may simply be an old-school approach to motivation and control. But the disdain Peyton showed Wilson early in the season and pointed again on the sidelines Saturday.
Although Wilson suggested that Payton should have initiated a punt or gone on fourth down instead of attempting a field goal, prompting an angry response from Payton, two coaches familiar with Wilson’s tenure in Seattle offered an alternative. He pointed out that if Wilson changed plays in Seattle to keep himself in rhythm, and if he had changed Peyton’s plays during the questioning, the coach could have issued a harsher judgment.
“I don’t think Sean’s out there,” another coach said, “so when he’s upset, he lets everybody know.” He wasn’t always so angry in New Orleans. They were winning,” he said.
(Photo: RJ Sangosti / MediaNews Group / The Denver Post via Getty Images)
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