After an awful start to the 2023 NFL season and an impressive turnaround in the second half of the regular season, the Denver Broncos made the choice to bench superstar quarterback Russell Wilson, which has shed doubt on his future with the team.

Although many have suggested that the move to bench Wilson was financial due to terms in his contract, Broncos general manager George Paton claims the benching of the one-time Super Bowl champion was a football decision made by head coach Sean Payton.

According to Nick Kosmider of The Athletic, Wilson was benched due to a choice made by Payton, but the future Hall of Famer still might be in the team’s plans moving forward.

Last year was a disaster for Wilson, with many starting to write off the superstar quarterback, claiming he’d lost a step or two and would never be the same player who was a force to be reckoned with as the undisputed leader of the Seattle Seahawks.

Paton said decision to bench Russell Wilson in Week 17 was a football decision made by Sean Payton that "completely independent of any conversation I had with his agent." Said he'll keep specifics of negotiation with Wilson's agent private.

"The door remains open with Russ."

— Nick Kosmider (@NickKosmider) January 9, 2024

Although Wilson was able to bounce back from the worst season of his career during his first year in Denver, it may have not been enough to secure his role as the leader under center moving forward.

Even though the “door remains open” according to Paton, all signs point to the Broncos and Wilson parting ways this season in order for Payton to bring in who he really wants running the show at the quarterback position in Denver.

Only time will tell what the Broncos decide to do and where Wilson will end up when the dust settles.