On Sunday, the NFLPA threatened legal actions against the Denver Broncos’ for threatening to bench Russell Wilson if he refused to move the deadline of his $37 million injury contract, set for 2025.
Mark Maske of the Washington Post reported that NFLPA warned litigation over the team’s request that Wilson agree to adjust the injury guarantee portion of his contract or face benching.
The NFLPA posted a letter to the Denver Broncos in early November highlighting the team’s threat to bench QB Wilson if not adjusted was illegal.
They underline it violates the collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and the NFLPA, creating the possibility that the union would initiate an arbitration proceeding or litigation against the team and the league.
The letter by NFLPA attorney Jeffrey Kessler, dated Nov. 4 and was sent to the Broncos and the NFL’s management council.
In the copy, The Washington Post acquired, the NFLPA wrote in the letter,
“It has come to our attention that the Denver Broncos recently informed Mr. Wilson and his Certified Contract Advisor that if Mr. Wilson would not renegotiate his Player Contract to relinquish certain salary guarantees, the Broncos would remove him from the starting lineup. If the Broncos follow through on the Club’s threat, the Club will violate, among other things, the Collective Bargaining Agreement, Mr. Wilson’s Player Contract, and New York law. And, we are particularly concerned that the Broncos still intend to commit these violations under the guise of coaching decisions.”
In early November, NFLPA threatened legal action over the threatened benching of Russell Wilson. https://t.co/PyZoEEIsYs
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) December 31, 2023
Earlier this week, coach Sean Payton had announced Jarrett Stidham would replace Wilson, 35, at QB for the Broncos (7-8) for Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers (5-10).
Wilson will be paid $37 million in the off season should he be injured. The Broncos seek flexibility for 2024 and 2025 as they didn’t want a 2023 injury to tie their hands for Wilson’s 2025 salary of $37 million.
