Russell Wilson embracing Denver proves he is ready to retire with the Broncos
Russell Wilson spent a decade with the Seattle Seahawks and was instantly a fixture in the community. He showed up, won a Super Bowl in his second year, and was a staple in the Seattle sports scene.
And just like that, he is gone. He was traded to the Denver Broncos earlier this offseason and has been seen around Denver, supporting his new community. That included throwing out the first pitch at the Colorado Rockies home opener.
(via @Broncos).@DangeRussWilson with a perfect pitch at @Rockies Opening Day!
Think this guy might've played baseball before...? 😏⚾️ (via @Broncos) https://t.co/3bRVFlRmRI
He also made sure to give a shoutout to the University of Denver hockey team after they won a national title.
Wow. Denver Sports 🔥🔥🔥
Congratulations @DU_Hockey!!!
It's clear that Denver's newest famous resident is enjoying his time in town. What it also reveals is that he is planning to ingratiate himself to the community and become a fixture.
Fans in Seattle may argue how that was supposed to be the plan with the Seahawks. But things went south due to personnel moves and a seemingly questionable desire to go with Pete Carroll over the star quarterback.
So how can all of this goodwill towards the city of Denver result in him finishing his career there?
How Russell Wilson can finish his career with the Denver Broncos
Money is always going to be a factor when discussing making a player happy. But it would be shocking to think the Broncos don't plan to pay him. This is a franchise that has spent the last six seasons seeking a franchise quarterback, following the retirement of Peyton Manning. Wilson is that player, and the front office could not possibly try to lowball him at this point.
But there is one thing the front office could mess up. That would be not taking the quarterback's advice on personnel decisions. Just think back to Wilson's time in Seattle. There were rumblings he was frustrated about all the hits he was taking. That included a league-leading 48 sacks in 2019, followed by 47 more in 2020.
This was a problem for his entire tenure, and there did not appear to be a huge desire to resolve the problem. Now that he is in Denver, the Broncos have to make sure to actually listen to their star. Otherwise, he has already proven he has the power to demand a trade if he gets unhappy. In fact, that is the new normal in the NFL for star players.
The only other way he leaves early is if he shows terrible regression and can't get the team anywhere near a Super Bowl. But that would be a gigantic shock and is not a likely scenario at this point in time.
So while the quarterback is accepting Denver as his new home, those running the Broncos must immediately start listening to him and make him feel like part of the decision-making community.
Also Read: NFL Rumors: Seahawks eyeing successor for Russell Wilson through 2022 Draft