Russell Wilson saw his two-year run with the Denver Broncos come to an end on Monday with the team officially announcing his release.

For the Super Bowl-winning quarterback, his time in Denver did not go swimmingly. He was the center of major drama during a down first season with the team in 2022. While Wilson played much better this past season, he was ultimately benched by head coach Sean Payton.

As both Wilson and his former Broncos team take the high road following the divorce, a franchise legend is going in the opposite direction.

A six-time Pro Bowler during his 12-year run with Denver, former Broncos linebacker Karl Mecklenburg just put Wilson on absolute blast. It was not subtle.

“Russell Wilson isn’t a leader. The foolishness that went on in his first year at Denver with a private coach, his own office at the facility, and family at training camp when other players didn’t have those privileges, proved his self centeredness,” Mecklenburg wrote on X.

Ouch. That’s just some brutal stuff right there.

It must also be noted that Payton had issues with how Wilson carried himself in his first season with the Broncos. He was not quiet about that fact. Once Payton took over in Denver this past season, things changed big time.

Russell Wilson
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The question here is whether Wilson’s reputation will be an issue with the former Seattle Seahawks star looking to latch on as a starting quarterback with another team. There is going to be interest. We’re just not too sure how muted it will be.

As for Mecklenburg, he played with the Broncos from 1983-1994 and was part of multiple Super Bowl teams during his time in the Mile High City. He’s also a member of the Broncos’ Ring of Fame.