ON A CRISP Dec. 27 morning at the Broncos' suburban Denver complex, players filed into what they thought was a standard Wednesday team meeting. Instead, head coach Sean Payton had a stunning announcement for the group: Russell Wilson was no longer their starting quarterback.
"It was a surprise to everybody in the locker room. He just told us out of nowhere," wide receiver Jerry Jeudy said.
This wasn't a depth-chart shuffle 10 plays into a game. This was a foundational decision that will carry enormous financial weight, have draft implications and may upend the Broncos' short-term ability to compete.