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Russell Wilson just did the thing that instantly lights up a comment section: he ranked quarterbacks, put Peyton Manning last, and then explained it with one sentence that Broncos fans have been stuck with since Super Bowl XLVIII.
In Hot Wings Versus with his mega-celebrity wife Ciara, Wilson was asked to rank four quarterbacks by gridiron ability: Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes, Peyton Manning, and Russell Wilson. Wilson slotted Brady first, Mahomes second, himself third, and Manning fourth, then explained the Peyton placement with one sentence: he put Manning last “only because I beat Peyton in the Super Bowl.”
This isn’t Wilson trying to build a full-blown all-time list on hot wings. It’s a quick-hit prompt, but his reasoning is the tell. Wilson went Brady No. 1, Mahomes No. 2, himself No. 3, Manning No. 4, and he anchored the Manning placement to the one result nobody in Denver forgets: Seattle’s 43-8 Super Bowl XLVIII blowout.
And that’s why the clip has legs: not because “Russ thinks he’s better than Peyton,” but because he’s basically saying the trump card is the biggest stage, not the longest résumé, which is exactly the kind of logic that’s going to start an argument the second it hits Broncos timelines.
The quote that makes it a Broncos story
That explanation is why this clip isn’t just a viral QB-ranking game. Wilson specifically tied his answer to Super Bowl XLVIII, the night the Seahawks dismantled the Broncos 43-8.
For Denver fans, “Super Bowl XLVIII” isn’t trivia; it’s shorthand for one of the most jarring blowouts in league history, and it’s permanently attached to Manning’s otherwise legendary résumé.
And for Wilson, it’s the quickest way to justify a hot take without turning the segment into a full debate about career totals, MVPs, longevity, or stats that would bog down the show.
Why Wilson’s Peyton reasoning is weirdly revealing
Wilson’s ranking wasn’t presented as a Hall of Fame argument. It was a reality-TV style “answer fast” prompt while eating wings.
But his rationale tells you how he frames his own legacy: championship moments first. If he can point to beating a legend on the biggest stage, he’ll use that as a trump card — even if most football fans would still rank Manning ahead of him in an all-time quarterback list.
That’s what makes the clip sticky: it’s not just “Wilson ranked himself third.” It’s that he grabbed a Broncos icon to explain why.
Why today: this lands differently because of Wilson’s NFL arc
This also lands with extra edge because Wilson’s career has taken him through multiple teams since leaving Seattle, including a highly scrutinized stint with the Broncos.
So when he’s on camera bringing up the Super Bowl that crushed Denver, it’s going to feel personal to a chunk of the Broncos audience, even if the context is lighthearted.
What happens next
The QB-ranking clip will keep traveling because it includes multiple search-magnet names (Brady, Mahomes, Manning, Wilson) and one built-in argument: does Wilson have any case to rank himself ahead of Peyton?
But for Broncos fans, it’s simpler. The moment he said “only because I beat Peyton in the Super Bowl,” the clip became less about hot sauce and more about a wound the fanbase never really enjoys revisiting.
Erik Anderson is an award-winning sports journalist covering the NBA, MLB and NFL for Heavy.com. He also focuses on the trading card market. His work has appeared in nationally-recognized outlets including The New York Times, Associated Press , USA Today, and ESPN. More about Erik Anderson
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