Broncos' Sutton Defends Russell Wilson: 'Things That Were Said, They're Wrong'

Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton came to the defense of Russell Wilson after the star quarterback has been the subject of frequent ridicule during his tenure in the Mile High City.

"People said a lot of things about Russ, about us, early, about what he couldn't do, what we couldn't do," Sutton said to ESPN's Jeff Legwold. "We know what kind of player he is, we know what he can do, we know how he goes about his business every day. Those things that were said, they're wrong."

Broncos kicker Wil Lutz was also complimentary toward Wilson.

"The guy believes, there is no doubt about that," he said. "He always believes we're going to win the game ... that's the guy you want under center."

It was open season on Wilson in 2022.

He was performing poorly after Denver paid a king's ransom to acquire him in terms of trade assets and his five-year, $242.6 million extension. And some fans reveled in the mockery because of the off-field persona the nine-time Pro Bowler has cultivated. Defector's Israel Daramola summed it up well by writing, "Everything about Russell Wilson feels like it has been market-tested by a controlled panel of image experts."

It looked like Wilson and the Broncos were in for more of the same in 2023 as the team started 1-5, a stretch that included allowing 70 points to the Miami Dolphins.

But now Denver is 6-5, putting the team one game behind the fifth-place Pittsburgh Steelers and giving them the same record as the seventh-place Indianapolis Colts.

Wilson hasn't returned to peak form during the Broncos' five-game winning streak but has been very efficient, completing 71.6 percent of his passes while throwing for 894 yards and eight touchdowns.

Before the year opened, it felt as though the franchise was counting down the days until they could offload Wilson's contract. Now, Denver could plausibly be heading toward its first postseason appearance since 2015.