Getty Former Denver Broncos TE Shannon Sharpe doing a radio interview at the Super Bowl.
Once again Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson is in the headlines for all the wrong reasons.
Earlier this week, the Broncos flew to London as they prepared to take on the Jacksonville Jaguars. With it being an eight-hour flight, Wilson told the media his routine while he was on the plane.
“The first two hours, I was watching film watching all the cut ups and everything else. For the next four hours, I was doing treatment on the plane. I was walking up and down the aisles, everyone else was knocked out, I was doing high knees and working out my legs and everything else making sure I’m ready to rock.”
Wilson continued, ” I fell asleep for one hour and I watched film for the rest.”
Since the former Super Bowl champion made those comments, his antics have gone viral once again and another Super Bowl champion spoke out against Wilson.
On October 27th’s episode of “Undisputed,” former hall of fame tight end Shannon Sharpe criticized Wilson and his plane workout, “I’d tell Russell to sit his a** down, I’m trying to get some sleep.”
The former Denver tight end added, “Russ is about the show now, why do you feel you need to tell the media that? You see Russ the problem that Russ has is that Russ has never tried to ingratiate himself with his teammates. He came in and said, ‘I’m Russell Wilson and you’re not. I should be afforded things that you don’t deserve.”
Sharpe said that he doesn’t fault Wilson for asking for so much power from the Broncos, but he faults the Broncos for giving it to him.
Sharpe then talked about how things were when he played with hall of famer John Elway and what he witnessed being around Peyton Manning.
“Look, I played with [John] Elway, I was around a lot when Peyton [Manning] was there and Elway I can assure you didn’t have an office and neither did Peyton.”
The three-time Super Bowl winner explained that because Wilson has his own office at the team facility that he thinks he’s different than the rest of the team.
“John would sit down and eat with us, I’m sure Peyton did the same thing. That way guys don’t feel that you feel that you think you’re better than them, because you get things that they don’t. Guys will become to resent you.”
Sharpe continued, “I don’t believe that the guys think Russ was ever was one of them and it’s showing. I’m telling you there’s growing resentment in that building about that guy, I’m going to leave it at that.”
Is the Denver Locker Room Split?
Since the Broncos currently own a 2-5 overall record, players have been asked if there is a separation in the locker room for multiple reasons.
On one hand, the Denver defense has played unbelievable giving up just 16.4 points per game which ranks third in the NFL. Without their elite defense, the Broncos could easily be winless this season and more than likely the scores would’ve been lopsided.
On the other hand, the media is wondering if players are looking at their franchise quarterback in a different way since he first arrived.
“We don’t have division in our locker room,” Wilson said after Denver’s loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on October 17, via NFL.com. “You guys saw how hard we played for each other. It didn’t go our way, but everyone is fighting their butts off every day.
According to one source that has talked to people within the building, players have looked at Wilson wondering why he has to act so different instead of being just one of the guys.
Injury Update on Wilson
For the first time in two weeks, Wilson was a full participant in practice as the Broncos get ready to take on the Jaguars on Sunday.
“Barring any setbacks, we’re hoping to see Russell out there,” Hackett said today when talking to the media. “There were no limitations.”
Wilson is recovering from a left hamstring strain that he suffered against the Chargers 11 days ago. Denver’s new franchise quarterback was forced to missed last week’s game against the New York Jets in which backup quarterback Brett Rypien got the nod.
The Broncos fell to New York after scoring just nine points on offense.
It’s now time for Wilson to kick the league’s worst offense into a second gear and put some points on the board.