The Eagles reportedly were all-in on bringing Russell Wilson to Philadelphia but the now-Broncos quarterback rejected the move.
In an alternate universe, Russell Wilson is the quarterback of the Philadelphia Eagles.
Apparently, that reality very nearly happened as the Eagles were close to landing the former Seahawks quarterback before he went to the Broncos instead.
However, Wilson rejected the trade to Philadelphia, that’s according to Sports Illustrated’s Greg Bishop on a recent appearance with the Brock and Salk Show.
That means Eagles fans can thank Wilson for stopping Howie Roseman and Eagles management from making a colossal mistake.
Russell Wilson forced the Eagles to give Jalen Hurts a chance
Wilson went on to have a horrendous first season with the Denver Broncos. Maybe that was all Nathaniel Hackett’s fault as the first time head coach crashed and burned. The Broncos had a league-worst offense as things fell apart in ways beyond Wilson’s control.
But it’s also undeniable that the quarterback’s personal performance contributed heavily to the 5-12 record as he battled injuries and inconsistency. He threw just 16 touchdowns and 11 interceptions with a career-low passer rating and QBR.
Meanwhile, in Philadelphia, Hurts thrived in his third year in the league, slinging 22 touchdowns to six interceptions while adding 760 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground. He led the Eagles all the way to the Super Bowl where he put in a fantastic performance despite losing.
Now, the Eagles can stake their future on the promising 24-year-old quarterback while knowing they very nearly blew everything on an expensive trade to land a 34-year-old whose body is starting to let him down. The 2022 season wouldn’t have mirrored what happened to the Broncos, but it’s hard to believe it would have gone down better than it did with Hurts at the helm.
Things clearly worked out in the end for Philadelphia, so thanks Russ.