Warren Moon Says Russell Wilson Still ‘Very Effective,’ Might Follow Same Path As Joe Flacco
The Denver Broncos may have lost all hope for Russell Wilson, but Warren Moon isn't ready to give up on him yet.
The Hall of Fame quarterback told TMZ Sports this week that Wilson is not washed and, "no question, Russell can be very effective."
The Broncos announced Wilson's release on Monday — turning the page on one of the worst trades in NFL history. Now, the 12-year-veteran is searching for a new place to call home.
(Getty Images)
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And according to Moon, he won't just settle for a back-up role. In fact, the Houston Oilers legend thinks Wilson might follow the same path as Joe Flacco did in 2023.
"I think if anything, he would wait. If it takes to the end of the season, something like that. You saw Joe Flacco come out of retirement halfway through the season with Cleveland because he waited for that starting opportunity," Moon said.
"He came in, he started and took that team to the playoffs. I think Russell would rather do something like that than start the season off as a backup."
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Moon even speculated where Wilson might be headed next.
"Maybe there’s a situation where he goes to the Pittsburgh Steelers where Kenny Pickett is there and they end up competing for the job," he said. "I can see Russell competing for a job, but I don’t see him just saying I’m going to give it up and be a backup quarterback."
Warren Moon Has Always Been In Russell Wilson's Corner
Moon knows Wilson well from their days together in Seattle. Wilson was drafted in the third round in 2012. Moon was a radio analyst for the Seahawks at the time and until 2017. Early on, Moon was a mentor to Wilson.
This past October — when the Broncos were 1-3 — Moon went on the record saying head coach Sean Payton and Wilson would turn the season around.
And he wasn't entirely wrong. A few weeks later, Denver put together a five-game win streak, even beating the Buffalo Bills and the eventual-Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.
(Photo by Mat Hayward/Getty Images for Ten To One)
But that hot streak sputtered, and they capped the season at 8-9 — third in the AFC West.
Still, it was an improvement over 2022. Under previous head coach Nathaniel Hackett, Denver struggled to a 5-12 season in Wilson's first season with the club. He saw a career-worst passer rating of 84.4, a career-low 16 touchdown passes and a career-high 55 sacks.
Moon attributed those struggles to the QB's stubborn desire to be a pocket passer, despite being too short to see over the line.
So if Wilson does still have some juice left in the tank, it's going to take the right surrounding talent and the right offensive scheme to bring it out.
Yeah, kind of like Flacco in Cleveland.