Ex-NFL HC Mike Smith reveals what he found "odd", "strange" about Russell Wilson
Russell Wilson had a miserable 2022 NFL season. Expectations of a Super Bowl run fizzled out by midseason and coach Nathaniel Hackett paid the ultimate price by losing his job. However, many detractors pointed their fingers at the quarterback.
Wilson looked a shadow of the player he was with the Seattle Seahawks when he regularly made Pro Bowls and lifted one Lombardi Trophy. While the Broncos gave up a King's Ransom to bring him from Seattle, this is certainly not what they had in mind.
They responded to his every demand, even giving him a separate office within the team facilities. Former NFL coach Mike Smith believes it was "odd" and "strange". Speaking exclusively to Sportskeeda's "The BallFather Podcast", he said:
"Who knows what actually happens, but I did hear that he had an office in the building, which is a little odd and a little strange. I don't think that's ever happened. And there's been a lot of great players that have played a long time in the National Football League that I don't know that I've never heard of one having an office, their own private office, in the building. So it really surprised me that was going on in Denver last year."
Coach Smith had previously expressed his displeasure at how difficult Russell Wilson and the Denver Broncos were to watch.
Mike Smith trusts Sean Payton to draw a line under Russell Wilson's excesses
Mike Smith is the winningest coach in Atlanta Falcons history, which is no mean feat given he faced Sean Payton and Drew Brees every year. He has a deep appreciation for the newly installed Broncos coach and has backed him to bring a different culture to Denver.
"I can assure you one d**n thing. It ain't happening next season. What's happening in the offseason, Sean's going to put together a great staff. He knows a lot of people. He can evaluate talent, not only talented football players, but he can evaluate talented coaches and I'm sure he'll do a deep dive into a lot of different people and he'll take his time putting his staff together."
Sean Payton has already signaled an end to Russell Wilson getting his own coaches access into the building.
“That’s not gonna take place here” Coach Sean Payton on personal coaches being in the building. https://t.co/AJM4wRuKPu
Based on Mike Smith's understanding of the situation, this will be the first of many luxuries that Russell Wilson may have to part with to get the Denver Broncos competing again.