In February, the Denver Broncos hired Sean Payton, a Super Bowl-winning head coach, in hopes he could get quarterback Russell Wilson back on track.
Wilson struggled in his first season in Denver, finishing the year with the lowest completion percentage and fewest touchdowns of his career.
Denver Broncos greats John Elway, left, and former head coach Mike Shanahan during halftime celebrations celebrating the team’s Super Bowl XXXII win over the Green Bay Packers at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver on Sunday, October 23, 2022. (AAron Ontiveroz/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images)
Payton is known as a quarterback guru, and one broncos legend he believes he is the perfect coach for Wilson in the later stages of his career.
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“Sean has a great sense of the quarterback position. He knows a lot about the offensive end. I think he knows what Russell will do the best. Like any good football team, we have to try to manage football and do it successfully. And if we do that, it gives Russell a better chance to succeed in the passing game,” he said twice. super bowl champion John Elway told ABC 7 Denver.
“(Wilson) is such a positive guy. I think he’s excited about it. With what’s happened last year, a lot of different things, Sean brings a lot of experience. I think Russell is looking forward to that coach putting him in the best position to succeed… It was a tough year for him last year. But he’s positive and tough. He’ll bounce back and I think he’s going to have a much better year this year.”
The Broncos made the blockbuster move for Wilson before the start of the 2022 NFL season, hoping the nine time professional bowler to end Denver’s playoff drought, dating back to 2015.
Russell Wilson, #3 of the Denver Broncos, passes during the first quarter against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field on September 12, 2022 in Seattle. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
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However, the Broncos went 4-11 at the start of the year, firing head coach Nathaniel Hackett before he could complete his first season as head coach.
Denver traded a 2023 first-round pick and a 2024 second-round pick for Payton, who was still under contract with the Los Angeles Lakers. New Orleans Saints after announcing that he would be stepping away after the 2021 season.
With the Broncos preparing for the start of training camp, eight-year NFL veteran justin simons sang Payton’s praises in a recent interview with Fox News Digital.
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New Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton answers questions from the media during a news conference at the UCHealth Training Center on February 6, 2023 in Englewood, Colorado. (Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
“So far it’s been great. We’ve only had OTAs with him this offseason, and it’s been great getting to know him, getting to know his coaching style a little bit. And you get really excited about camp and then preseason.” in the season,” Simmons said
“It’s been really cool, it’s been amazing, super educational and like I said, I can’t wait for the season to start.”
The Broncos open training camp on Friday, July 28.
Fox News’ Ryan Morik contributed to this report.
