National Football League

Payton: Wilson having personal coach in Broncos facility 'not gonna happen'

Updated Feb. 6, 2023 7:34 p.m. ET

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Russell Wilson received plenty of perks after being traded from the Seattle Seahawks to the Denver Broncos last offseason. Not only did he get a five-year, $245 million contract extension that essentially tied him to the Broncos through at least the 2023 season, the Broncos also reportedly gave him his own office in the team's facility and granted his personal quarterbacks coach, Jake Heaps, full access to the facility even though Heap was not a Broncos employee.

Heaps' free rein within the Broncos building appears to be over under new head coach Sean Payton, however.

Payton made his stance clear after his introductory press conference Monday, telling reporters that granting independent coaches access to a team facility is "foreign" to him and will not happen under his watch.

"That's not gonna happen here," Payton said.

It marks the first major change for the Broncos offense under Payton's leadership, with more likely on the way. Wilson's accommodations with his new team came under fire as Denver limped to a 5-12 record in its first season with him. 

The nine-time Pro Bowler had the worst season of his career in 2022, and several of his Broncos teammates were seen visibly agitated with him during games. 

The Broncos fired first-year head coach Nathaniel Hackett in December after a 51-14 Christmas Day loss to the Los Angeles Rams, in which Wilson threw three interceptions. Denver last week hired Payton, who served as a FOX studio analyst this past year, after acquiring his contract rights from the New Orleans Saints for two draft picks.

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