The Russell Wilson era in Denver only lasted two seasons, which I don't think even Wilson's biggest detractors could have seen coming back in 2022. One of the biggest trades in NFL history will go down in Denver Broncos history as one of the bigger mistakes the team has ever made, although Russell Wilson shouldn't be blamed entirely for the way things turned out.
Wilson's time in Denver was tumultuous, to say the least. But the team had some good times with him throughout the 2023 season. They finally beat the Kansas City Chiefs, ending a streak that had been ongoing since 2015.
Wilson posted a heartfelt goodbye to Broncos Country and certain members of the organization on his Twitter/X account:
Thank You Broncos Country 🙏🏾 - #3 pic.twitter.com/3IoVheYVyI
— Russell Wilson (@DangeRussWilson) March 4, 2024
Within that message to Broncos Country, Wilson gives some shoutouts to his former teammates and Broncos employees, a really nice touch as he begins a new chapter in his professional career.
Wilson also used a photo from the Buffalo game, one of the most epic games the Broncos have won in recent years. Although that list is definitely slim, it was a game to remember and Wilson's fourth-down touchdown throw to Courtland Sutton is the type of throw that you might only see once a decade.
Obviously, Broncos Country is not going to fondly remember the era we all just witnessed over the last two years. The best part of the Wilson era was undoubtedly the honeymoon phase after the trade was completed. It was a move that signaled the beginning of something special in Denver. The arrival of Wilson was supposed to be similar to what we saw during the Peyton Manning era. There were visions of Wilson staying in Denver upwards of 10 years.
It's honestly wild that we've arrived at this point. Things over the last two years went as badly as they possibly could have, but Wilson pushed through a lot.
It's hard to imagine a professional athlete dealing with as many scathing reviews from media, former teammates, and frankly the entire Seattle Seahawks organization as what we saw Wilson face for almost the entirety of 2022. Wilson was clearly very emotionally moved late in the 2022 season when a number of his Broncos teammates came to his defense, but the attacks on Wilson's football abilities, legacy, leadership, and genuineness were way over the line.
It's hard not to have a ton of respect for Wilson for the way he put his head to the grindstone, worked his tail off in the 2023 offseason, and came back out and had a bounce-back season under yet another new coaching staff by almost every metric.
Although things didn't work out in Denver, hopefully everyone in Broncos Country is united in wishing Russell Wilson the best moving forward.