Russell Wilson calls Denver Broncos ‘perfect fit’ as deal with Seattle Seahawks becomes official
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — With Hall of Famer John Elway looking on in a crowded auditorium, Russell Wilson was formally introduced as the Denver Broncos’ newest quarterback Wednesday. And Wilson left no doubt just how much he hopes to get done with his new teammates, in a new city, over the next decade.
“My goal is to play 10 or 12 more years and hopefully win three, four more Super Bowls, that’s the plan,” Wilson said. “That’s the mindset. That’s why I came here, to finish my career here and hopefully finish on top as a champion. And do it multiple times.”
Wilson waived his no-trade clause last week to complete the deal between the Broncos and the Seattle Seahawks. In one of the biggest trades in league history, the Broncos sent two first-round draft picks, two second-rounders and a fifth-rounder along with quarterback Drew Lock, tight end Noah Fant and defensive end Shelby Harris to the Seahawks in exchange for Wilson and a fourth-round pick.
The deal became official with the start of the new league year Wednesday.
In the same room where Peyton Manning was formally introduced as the Broncos’ quarterback on March 20, 2012, Wilson took questions, spoke about the reasons he believes the Broncos are the right fit for him and posed for photos with his family around him to go with his new No. 3 jersey in hand.
The 33-year-old played 10 seasons for the Seahawks, has been a nine-time Pro Bowler and started Super Bowl XLVIII when Seattle defeated Manning and the Broncos 43-8.
Wilson said one of the people he consulted before waiving his no-trade clause was Manning. Manning was signed by the Broncos in free agency in 2012 after 14 seasons with the Colts.
Manning has often spoken of both the challenges and excitement with joining a new team after a successful run with another. The Broncos won 50 regular-season games and four AFC West titles, went to two Super Bowls and won Super Bowl 50 in Manning’s four years with the team.
“I think the biggest thing he told me was that this is a winning organization,” Wilson said. “That was the biggest thing, obviously you know that, you know that from an outside perspective, but when you’re in it, living in it every day, as a quarterback, as someone people look to to lead, you want to make sure you can answer that question. And he said ‘without a doubt,’ he loved it here, he still lives here today.”
Wilson thanked Seahawks coach Pete Carroll, general manager John Schneider, a long list of assistant coaches and other staff members as well as fans in Seattle. He also called the trade a “mutual decision” for him and the Seahawks.
“But to come here, come to a winning organization, so much winning tradition, so much excellence, I was really excited about it,” Wilson said. “… I wanted to make sure it was a perfect fit for me. Once I met with [general manager] George [Paton] and coach [Nathaniel] Hackett, I was like, ‘OK this could work for a long time.'”
The Seahawks’ announcement of the Wilson trade included statements from Carroll, Schneider and Allen, the team’s de facto owner. All expressed appreciation for Wilson’s contributions in Seattle while also mentioning his desire to play elsewhere.
“While Russell made it clear he wanted this change, he made Seattle proud and we are grateful for his decade of leadership on and off the field,” Allen said. “We look forward to welcoming our new players and to everyone being fully engaged while working our hardest to win every single day. I trust our leadership to take us into the future, and know we all wish Russell the very best.”
Paton said the trade talks had been going on “for weeks” and that Wilson was the team’s “No. 1 target” in the offseason and that “we were going to do anything it took to get Russ.”
Carroll, meanwhile, said he had no intention of moving on from Wilson, repeating the line he used at the NFL scouting combine a week before the Broncos and Seahawks came to a trade agreement. That changed, according to Carroll, when the Seahawks got a better offer for Wilson than they were expecting.
Asked about the well-documented tension between the Seahawks and Wilson, Carroll said he and the quarterback worked hard at their relationship and “made it through it. Russ and I made it through it, and I love Russ. He’s like one of my own. We went through so much stuff together. It also brought us to the point where we could talk about [a possible trade].”
Carroll and Schneider said they traded Wilson not because they didn’t believe they could repair the relationship, but because of the “opportunity” that arose.
But Schneider also said he was under the impression that Wilson would not sign another long-term deal in Seattle. With two years left on his current contract, Wilson would have been in line for an extension next offseason.
“We wish him the freakin’ very best,” Carroll said. “He did awesome stuff for us here in Seattle. He was a great player for us. But now, his second opportunity, look what he’s going to do with it. He’s going to fly. He’s going to do great stuff. We support him and wish him well in all of that.”
Paton also revealed how he began to let others in the Broncos organization in on what had largely been one-on-one discussions with Schneider for weeks about the potential trade. At one point Paton asked Hackett how he would feel if the Broncos were able to get Wilson.
“I don’t think he said yes, he said F yes,” Paton said.
Hackett joked that Paton then told him to go watch Wilson’s game video “to make sure” he wanted the trade to happen.
“I wanted him to watch the tape,” Paton said with a smile. “[Hackett] said, ‘I don’t need to watch the tape, he’s kicked my ass many years.'”
ESPN’s Brady Henderson contributed to this report.