Watch: Denver fans erupt as Russell Wilson launches ball into stand at Nuggets game
Denver Nuggets fans are excited that Russell Wilson has moved to their city. It's hard not to blame the "Mile High" faithful for having elevated hopes for all the good things the quarterback can do for their football team.
During the Nuggets' pivotal 122-109 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies, Wilson stole the show. Okay, maybe the true show-stealer was MVP candidate Nikola Jokic's 35 points, 16 rebounds, and six assists.
Still, Wilson gave the Ball Center an extra serving of joy before their team picked up a win that more than likely keeps them out of an NBA play-in game.
The nine-time Pro Bowler honoree was handed a football by the Nuggets' mascot Rocky. After signing the football, Wilson launched it into the crowd like he was going for an end zone toss.
@brgridironRussell Wilson getting a warm welcome at the Nuggets game 🙌 @brgridiron https://t.co/8m7D0hUcrP
A loss would have sunk Denver further down the NBA's Western Conference standings and closer to needing a pre-requisite win before qualifying for the playoffs.
Are we out here saying Russell Wilson's winning ways (104-53-1 record as a starter) have already started rubbing off on the consolidated city and county of Denver?
If we're getting technical, the Nuggets are 9-7 since the Wilson trade. But we'll give the actual proper credit to Nikola Jokic, who has not scored less than 22 points since the trade and has had a historic season as the reigning NBA MVP.
Russell Wilson gives the Denver Broncos their first franchise QB since Peyton Manning
No offense to Trevor Siemian, Paxton Lynch, Brock Osweiler, Case Keenum, Joe Flacco, Drew Lock, Brandon Allen, Jeff Driskel, Brett Rypien, and Teddy Bridgewater, but it's fair to say that Denver has finally found a true heir apparent to Super Bowl 50 QB.
It certainly took plenty of assets for the Broncos to bring Russell Wilson to Denver. According to head coach Nathaniel Hackett, it was a price worth paying 100 times over:
“In the end, it’s about a quarterback. You can ask all these guys around here. You have to have a quarterback to have a chance. It’s whatever it takes to get a quarterback.”
"I don’t think you can ever put too high of a price on anybody that’s great."
The haul the Seattle Seahawks got for Russell Wilson included the following: QB Drew Lock, DL Shelby Harris, TE Noah Fant, two first-round picks, a 2022 second-round pick, a 2023 second-round pick, and a 2022 fifth-round pick.
Who else, besides Russell Wilson, were the Denver Broncos looking at?
Aaron Rodgers' situation in Green Bay was one that the Denver front office was monitoring closely.
Meetings were held between the Green Bay Packers QB and the Denver Broncos head coach, but obviously, things never materialized:
“It’s the same thing we did with Aaron. There were a lot of great meetings that we had between the three of us [including Packers head coach Matt LaFleur] on what’s the right thing to do, what’s better for us, and what’s better for him.”
All of that is water under the bridge now. Wilson is the man under center that George Paton is hoping can bring the Broncos back to Super Bowl glory.