HAMSTRING INJURY RULED RUSSELL WILSON OUT vs. JETS

ESPN says that Russell Wilson, the Denver Broncos’ starting quarterback, won’t make his first start because he hurt his hamstring.

NFL Network said that Wilson’s status for Sunday’s game against the New York Jets would be decided just before the game. The final decision was made by Broncos coach Nathaniel Hackett, NFL Network said.

Wilson says that the injury happened in the fourth quarter of the Broncos’ Week 6 game against the Los Angeles Chargers, which they lost in overtime.

Brett Rypien will take Wilson’s place at the start.

Wilson was traded to Denver during the offseason. He had been to the Pro Bowl nine times, so the Broncos had high hopes for the 2022 season. But the team isn’t off to a good start under first-year head coach Hackett. As of Week 7, the team is 2–4 and hasn’t won a single game.

Wilson is tied for 24th in the NFL in passing touchdown percentage (58.6%), passer rating (24th), and completion percentage (30th) because he has thrown five touchdown passes (83.4). He has never had a passer rating below 100 in any of the last four seasons.

Also, Sunday will be the fourth time in Wilson’s career, including both regular season and playoff games, that he will not start. Before missing Weeks 6–8 in 2021, he had never missed a start in his nine years with the Seahawks.

Rypien finished his senior year at Boise State and was not drafted after the 2018 season. He has played for the Broncos for the past three seasons, and this summer he won the backup job.

In his professional career, he has played in four games. His first game was against the Jets in Week 4 of the 2020 season. Rypien had 19 of his 31 passes go through, for a total of 242 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions. The Broncos won by a score of 37–28.