Seahawks Ex Russell Wilson 'Got His Comeuppance' For Leaving

Did Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson deserve an awful debut season after his trade from the Seattle Seahawks?

To say that longtime Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson's first season outside of the Emerald City was a disappointment would be quite the understatement. 

The Denver Broncos acquired Wilson from the Seahawks in March of 2022, trading away a massive haul to do so. While he was expected to bring stability to the quarterback position, but he struggled immensely in his first season in Denver. 

Wilson set new career-lows in completion percentage, touchdowns and passer rating, while his 11 interceptions were tied for the second-most in his career. The Broncos struggled along with him, limping to a 5-12 record and last place in the AFC West. The sting only worsened as the Seahawks made a surprise return to the playoffs while receiving a top-five pick from the Broncos.

While there was blame to go around for the Broncos' shortcomings, Wilson's underperformance ultimately lies on him. Woody Paige, a columnist for the Denver Gazette and frequent guest on ESPN's "Around the Horn," had an interesting take on the subject, believing Wilson's struggles may have been a form of karma for his Seattle exit.

"Wilson had gotten his wish to leave Seattle, and he has gotten his comeuppance in Denver."

Did Wilson have it coming? One can certainly make the argument.

"Wilson did not provide the right stuff last year," Paige wrote. "Too much wrong stuff about bathrooms in the most expansive Cherry Hills mansion, a private office and a private quarterbacks coach at Dove Valley, appearances at the Cannes Film Festival and Wimbledon and a New York gala, grand openings of an exclusive clothing store, press pronouncements, no participation in exhibitions and plain practices were just precursors to pitiful performances with a coach obviously not in command and a staggering team."

Wilson's exit from Seattle was not pretty to say the least. The all-time great Seahawks quarterback has received plenty of criticism from former teammates, and rumors have even suggested that he wanted coach Pete Carroll fired.

Even with Wilson's many struggles last season, things could be looking up for the longtime Seahawk. He has a new coach and quarterback guru in Sean Payton, and the Broncos have invested heavily in the offensive line, previously one of their biggest weaknesses. At 34 and with a massive contract for the next few years, the pressure on Wilson may be even greater as he enters Year 2 in Denver.

"Russell Wilson must ignore snappy slogans and sappy sayings and play winning football, or he will be ridden out of town," Paige wrote.

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You can find Jonathan Alfano on Twitter @JonAlfano_News

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