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Pat McAfee the latest to call out Broncos QB Russell Wilson

By Sayre Bedinger

Nov 26, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Pat McAfee mingles on the sideline before taking the set of ESPN College GameDay prior to the NCAA football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Michigan Wolverines at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns-The Columbus DispatchNcaa Football Michigan Wolverines At Ohio State Buckeyes
Nov 26, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Pat McAfee mingles on the sideline before taking the set of ESPN College GameDay prior to the NCAA football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Michigan Wolverines at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns-The Columbus DispatchNcaa Football Michigan Wolverines At Ohio State Buckeyes /
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Over the last handful of years, former Indianapolis Colts All-Pro and Pro Bowl punter Pat McAfee has become one of the best and most resonated-with voices in all of sports media. McAfee brings a tremendous perspective to his craft talking about all sports, but specifically in the football arena, his opinions and perspectives hold weight with the masses. Although many in sports media have taken their platforms and used them to attempt to bury Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson, McAfee took a different approach to the recent sideline incident between Wilson and defensive lineman Mike Purcell, right behind head coach Nathaniel Hackett.

McAfee looked at the situation from his vantage point and seemingly analyzed the situation perfectly. It feels like Purcell getting in Wilson’s face during the Broncos’ latest loss had nothing to do with “in the moment” frustration and everything to do with pent-up angst because Wilson isn’t “a real human” to these guys.

Pat McAfee brilliantly analyzes Russell Wilson-Mike Purcell situation

Keep in mind when watching this video that the language on Pat McAfee’s show is very unfiltered, so it’s NSFW or if you’ve got little ears around, but the sentiment of his message is absolutely spot-on.

McAfee thinks that the exchange between Wilson and Purcell was Purcell telling him, “Enough with the BS,” because teammates are fed up with the persona of Russell Wilson given the fact they aren’t winning on top of it. He points out that the Broncos defense is one of the best in the league and the players on that defense are among the best of the best, and on the other side of the ball, you’ve got Russell Wilson who has been keeping up his pre-game outfits, maintaining his brand on social media, making more money than pretty much everyone on that defense (maybe even combined; Wilson is making $57 million in 2022 alone), and Purcell finally spoke up for everyone on the team saying enough is enough.

This analysis from Pat McAfee comes at a very interesting time because there was also a report recently from Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network that players have been looking “side-eyed” at Wilson’s antics for months, and that it’s Wilson — not heavily criticized head coach Nathaniel Hackett — losing the locker room right now in Denver.

Things are shaping up to be pretty dramatic in Denver over the course of the final six games this season, as well as the entirety of the 2023 offseason. The Broncos didn’t invest $124 million in practical guarantees in Russell Wilson to cut bait with him after one year. They’re going to give it at least another season, but for the time being, things look like they could be short-lived for Mr. Unlimited in the Mile High City.

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