Russell Wilson Says Charity's Money Goes 'Directly to Those in Need' Despite Report

Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson responded Saturday to a report that his Why Not You Foundation only funnels about a quarter of the donations it receives to charitable efforts.

In a video posted on Twitter, Wilson said his foundation has raised over $10 million "for pediatric cancer, and for education, and for hunger prevention and so much more," noting that money raised goes "directly to those in need" because of the partnership his foundation has with multiple brands:

On Wednesday, Jason Wolf of USA Today (h/t Yahoo Sports), published a report on findings that included Wilson's Why Not You Foundation spending a total of $600,000 on charitable endeavors in 2020 and 2021, which equated to just 24.3 cents of every dollar it received through donations.

During that same time, the Why Not You Foundation reportedly spent $1.1 million on employee salaries and benefits, including $222,500 on chief strategy officer Ryan Tarpley in 2021.

Why Not You Foundation chief financial officer Scott Pickett offered an explanation for the financial breakdown to USA Today, saying:

"Millions of dollars in funds raised by the Why Not You Foundation go through our partners who can deliver that money where it is needed more directly. Those funds were raised, in large part, through the work of the foundation, but you would not see all of those dollars in the foundation's tax documents."

Near the conclusion of the video statement Wilson released Saturday, he said, "We're gonna keep learning, we're gonna keep growing, we're gonna keep getting better, but also, we're gonna keep serving."

Wilson and his wife, award-winning musical artist Ciara, founded the Why Not You Foundation in 2014 when Wilson was still in the midst of his time with the Seattle Seahawks.

Due in large part to his charitable endeavors and the creation of the Why Not You Foundation, Wilson was honored as the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year in 2020.

Wilson built a Hall of Fame on-field resume during his 10-year run with the Seahawks from 2012-2021, earning nine Pro Bowl selections, reaching two Super Bowls and winning one of them.

Last offseason, the Broncos acquired Wilson from the Seahawks for a huge package of draft picks and players in hopes that he could get them back to the playoffs.

Instead, Wilson struggled through the worst season of his NFL career, completing just 60.5 percent of his passes for 3,524 yards, 16 touchdowns and 11 interceptions for a Broncos team that went 5-12.

In an effort to turn things around, the Broncos hired longtime New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton as their new head coach this month.