The jury is out on whether Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson’s difficult 2022 season happened because Wilson lost his fastball 33-for-34, or whether former head coach Nathaniel Hackett mishandled used Wilson’s talents.
That question will definitely be answered in 2023, as new coach Sean Payton won’t do anything Wilson can’t do well.
“It wasn’t the type of season he wanted to have,” Payton said Monday when describing Wilson’s 2022 campaign, via the introductory press conference transcript provided by the team. “I feel like in the last couple of weeks we’ve maybe seen a little bit more of what we expected or were used to. I say, ‘We,’ [meaning] all of you when you signed them. I think the #1 job for us as coaches in evaluating our players [is deciding] what are the things they do really well? Then let’s try to put them in those positions. At least that’s the starting point, and I think it’s important to highlight their strengths and perhaps minimize their possible weaknesses.
It’s basic and it’s simple. But, still, many coaches don’t. They are beholden to their systems on their players. They’re trying to squeeze a square peg into a round role, instead of tailoring the offense to the unique abilities and limitations of the players who will be running the plays.
Also, read this quote again. Near the top. In Payton’s response, there’s a strong hint that once Hackett was fired with two games to go, interim coach Jerry Rosburg started bringing out some of what Wilson does best. And that’s exactly what Payton will do.
“Here’s what I know,” Payton added regarding Wilson. “I know he’s a hard worker. I know he’s an extremely hard worker, and that’s important. You take that and you understand the skill set. He won a lot of games in Seattle. . . . Then you go from there. It’s the same case – although it’s a much more visible position, it’s the same case and the same goal for us with every player on this list. What are they doing well? It’s easy to point out what players aren’t doing well, and some coaches tend to see it that way. I was kind of taught early on, ‘Hey, what are they good at? Let them do these things. None of us want to go – I don’t like to sing, period, but none of us want to be in a karaoke bar with a song we don’t know the lyrics to. How can we put them at ease and highlight their strengths? This is the process that will begin now. I’m learning about each of these players, not just Russell.
That lines up with Payton’s comments in October, when asked how he would improve Wilson after a tough start to the season.
“I would like a cut of all of Russell’s passing plays 30 yards or more from the field, and I would like to see if there were any patterns he felt very comfortable with,” Payton told the era. “Like, I know they did a great job in Seattle getting him out of a bare boot.[leg] and then stopping and we all saw it as a throwback to [receiver Tyler] Lockett across the pitch where the ball traveled 60 yards in the air. Then I would like to watch another film of his touchdown passes in the red zone inside 20. And so what I’m asking the assistants, I’m asking for some of his greatest hits and to make sure we have them song lyrics available. And if not, let’s put them in.
It’s hard to know much about what will happen specifically with the Broncos in 2023. But one thing is clear. A year after having to find the words to Smells like Teen Spirit on the fly, Wilson will resort to football versions, for him, of Happy birthday And Row, row, row your boat.
