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“Bound to Happen”: Cam Newton Takes Aim at Russell Wilson, Reveres Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady’s Ability to “Pick It Up”

Published 03/14/2024, 7:19 AM EDT

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Cam Newton knew that the Denver Broncos would release Russell Wilson soon. Although the Pittsburgh Steelers have signed Wilson for a year as of now, the reality is the quarterback couldn’t get the chance to completely drain off his Broncos’ signed contract of 5 years. While many experts and fans have speculated the reason behind the split to be the million-dollar contract and no playoff berths under him, Newton has come forth with a slightly different opinion.

Partially agreeing with what others have voiced, the former professional admired Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady in this matter and referred to Wilson’s release as “no surprise.” In the latest episode of 4th & 1 With Cam Newton, former NFL QB shared his thoughts on Russell Wilson’s early Denver exit. He expressed the reason behind Wilson’s release required efforts on both ends.

Reflecting on these thoughts, he said, “I’m just speaking from the truth of the situation. This is not shade or hate towards Russell Wilson. Russell Wilson was in a position where nobody cared what the situation was. Speaking about the receivers that “can beat man to man”, he added, “So a sustainable running game and even if you were to ask Russell he knew he didn’t play his best football in Denver which he was getting paid to play his best of football so contrary to what you may believe contrary to what you may look on on the stat sheet.”

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USA Today via Reuters

Newton explained that top-tier talent like Wilson should have lifted the team, and compensated for any other insufficiencies. But that didn’t happen. So for Newton, “him being released comes to no surprise. It was just bound to happen.” Additionally, Newton mentioned that it seems like Wilson was put in a situation that wasn’t typical for him.

Newton did not just stop at these suggestions. He further compared the quarterbacks like Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, and Patrick Mahomes, to express why Wilson lost his job. Newton stated, “When you think about the Tom Brady, when you think about the Aaron Rogers, when you think about Patrick Mahomes, what he was able to do this year, he didn’t have Elite receiver Talent, he with that bag….gotta make it elite, I’ll pick it up, make the wrongs right and that’s what Denver was asking from Russell Wilson.”

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“Make our wrongs right and too many times he did not do that. There were some times where he did, but he knows he didn’t play his best football in Denver and it cost him his job, ” he further elaborated. Whatever the situation for Wilson in Denver, NFL fans strongly believe that there was at least a coordination problem between the QB and the coach.

A forced marriage between Sean Payton and Russell Wilson?

The most talked about news in Denver last year was reportedly a “rift” between Russell Wilson and Sean Payton. The Broncos made significant moves to support their quarterback after acquiring Payton from the Saints. Wilson had wanted to work with coach Payton when he was with the Seahawks, but now, Payton was coaching him in Denver. Nevertheless, Wilson and others were excited to see the bond grow giving fruitful results.

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Despite these efforts, the 2023 season didn’t go well initially, with the team starting 1-5 due to issues with the defense and inconsistent offense. However, Wilson showed improvement with fewer mistakes and revived his deep ball and running plays.

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USA Today via Reuters

The defense later stepped up, leading to a five-game winning streak. Despite Wilson’s occasional comeback wins, he struggled with decision-making, often leaving the pocket unnecessarily and missing open receivers. Witnessing all these mistakes, there were reports that Payton threatened to bench Wilson if he didn’t renegotiate his contract, leading to speculation that the coach was “sabotaging” him.

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Wilson revealed this pain in the locker room after some time and knew that this season would be his end in Denver. The speculated fear took place, and now, he has been released from the team, despite his ‘staying back’ wishes. Fans are now awaiting his run with his third franchise, the Steelers, and how that will pay out for the 1x Super Bowl Champion!

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Written by:

Bhwya Sriya

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Bhwya Sriya is a senior NFL writer at EssentiallySports. She actively covers Live games and Breaking News with a specialization in injury reports. Certified for excellence in beat reporting, Bhwya also leads our annual Super Bowl coverage.
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Edited by:

Aazima Basharat