The Pittsburgh Steelers brought in quarterback Russell Wilson on a one-year deal worth the veteran minimum ahead of the 2024 season. This, of course, was thanks to Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton forcing Wilson out of town. Payton’s dissatisfaction with Wilson ran so deep that the organization was willing to pay him nearly $40M just to leave their team, signaling a dramatic shift in Denver's quarterback situation.
When Wilson first joined the Steelers, it seemed like Mike Tomlin had found his answer at quarterback. Early on, Wilson’s performance appeared to validate the move, and Steelers fans were optimistic that Tomlin had pulled off a major win. However, as the season progressed, the excitement started to fade, and it became evident that Payton’s decision to part ways with Wilson might have been justified.
Over the last four games, Payton’s instincts have proven to be right, as his rookie quarterback Bo Nix has been playing lights out while Wilson has struggled. Broncos beat reporter Andrew Mason shared an interview where Payton unintentionally exposed the root cause of his frustration with Wilson. The details shed light on why Payton’s relationship with his former quarterback soured and why it became clear that Wilson’s time in Denver was up.
"I think the sack statistic, by and large, is more a quarterback statistic than an offensive line statistic," Payton said. "There's some quarterbacks that are more difficult to protect for, some that aren't. We saw all the time on college tape, he was someone that got rid of the ball. It becomes frustrating to rush, if you will, because of his ability to, to throw it away or to flush and find an answer or an incompletion. But it's something that he's done well throughout his career."
Payton was discussing Nix and his ability to make quick, smart decisions. In his rookie season, Nix has only been sacked 24 times in 17 games, which is impressive for a first-year player. Now, compare that to 13-year veteran Wilson, who has been sacked 33 times in just 11 games. For many football fans, determining the cause of sacks can be tricky. Sometimes the offensive line is to blame, other times it's the quarterback's poor decisions, and often it's a combination of both—something that many Steelers fans would likely point to when evaluating Wilson.
The Steelers' offensive line has been struggling with injuries, and two rookies are starting. It's possible that these rookies have hit a "rookie wall," affecting Wilson's protection. However, there are plenty of instances where the blame for the sacks falls squarely on Wilson's shoulders. If you ask Payton, he believes that sacks are a quarterback statistic first, which likely played a significant role in his decision to move on from Wilson.
Payton's perspective on sacks sheds light on why he had such frustration with Wilson. In Payton's view, a quarterback’s ability to avoid sacks is largely a reflection of decision-making and awareness in the pocket. Given the numbers and Wilson’s struggles, it seems Payton felt his former quarterback wasn’t living up to the standard, which may have been a key factor in his decision to part ways.
Payton quickly realized that Wilson was taking far too many sacks, and it became clear that the Broncos needed to move in a new direction. Recently, Wilson has made some questionable decisions, which were on full display during the Steelers' 19-17 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.
Steelers' Russell Wilson Is Taking Way Too Many Sacks
Payton’s insight brings up an important point that might cause Steeler Nation to reconsider how much blame Wilson deserves for the 33 sacks. It’s easy to point the finger at the offensive line, and while they haven’t been great, Payton would likely argue that Wilson deserves more of the blame for the sacks than fans might realize.
Wilson has made his career on his ability to scramble out of the pocket and run. Now at 36 years old, it appears he's struggling to figure out how to move around the pocket to avoid danger. Wilson doesn't have the same mobility he once had. Wilson will need to fix this flaw quickly if the Steelers want any chance to upset the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of the playoffs.
