Payton wants Wilson to 'stop kissing all the babies'

Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson. Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Broncos' Sean Payton wants Russell Wilson to 'stop kissing all the babies'

By Vinny Somma | Last updated 9/6/23

Russell Wilson's public persona has been the butt of the joke for quite some time. Those laughs grew louder during his first season with the Denver Broncos as his play on the field wasn't good enough to counteract his off-the-field stigma.

To put it simply, Wilson is in desperate need of a rebrand.

According to ESPN's Seth Wickersham, Broncos head coach Sean Payton wants Wilson to present a more authentic image moving forward, telling the quarterback to "focus less on Russell Inc."

Wickersham noted that Payton was straightforward with the former Super Bowl Champion. "Will you f--king stop kissing all the babies?" he emphatically asked Wilson. "You're not running for public office."

From becoming a nationwide meme over his "Let's ride" mantra to admitting to doing high knees up and down the aisle on an eight-hour team flight, Wilson certainly upped the cringe factor in 2022.

@RealSkipBayless on Russell Wilson "working out" on flight to London:

"I could not believe this story that he actually bragged about "defeating" jet lag. He's looking down on his teammates, it's cringe-worthy." pic.twitter.com/JnfMs82sgK
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) October 27, 2022

Heading into 2023, Broncos nation is hopeful Wilson will look less like an actor playing the part of a quarterback in a movie and more like the nine-time Pro Bowler we grew to know during his prime Seattle Seahawks days.

Name a more Cringe-worthy athlete than Russell Wilson…I’ll wait. pic.twitter.com/h69VG2fYZR
— PSA10Collectibles (@Psa10Collector) October 20, 2022

The arrival of Payton in Denver should certainly help Wilson's case. A well-documented offensive guru, Payton has been a part of 15 top-10 offenses over his 18-year career as a coordinator/head coach.

The Broncos finished 2022 as the 21st-ranked offense in football, while Wilson endured the worst campaign of his illustrious career. His 60.5 completion percentage and 16 passing touchdowns both marked new career lows, while his 11 interceptions tied for the 10th-most in the NFL.

Payton's arrival in Denver should prove paramount for Wilson's production this season. And if he happens to earn "cool points" along the way, then so be it.

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