Russell Wilson exited Sunday’s game against Kansas City early in the fourth quarter after hitting his head hard on the turf while getting tackled near the Chiefs’ goal line.
Late in the fourth quarter, the team announced he had suffered a concussion. Wilson will enter the league’s concussion protocol and will have to clear through several return-to-play steps in order to play.
“We’ll go through that step-by-step process and do it the right way,” head coach Nathaniel Hackett said after the game.
Wilson scrambled for a first down on third-and-11 and dove head-first to get the necessary yardage for a first down but ended up going face-mask first into the Empower Field turf. When he tried to stand up, he appeared to lack balance and needed help from the training staff to stand up straight, showing the kind of instability that draws an automatic evaluation for a head injury.
“I don’t know exactly what happened, I briefly talked to him and I’m praying he’s OK,” Broncos’ safety Justin Simmons said after the game.
Wilson had been putting together his best game of the season. He was 23-of-26 passing for 247 yards and three touchdowns along with one interception. He also rushed for 57 yards on four attempts and was sacked six times in three-plus quarters.
“He was fighting the whole game,” Hackett said. “I give him so much credit. We see it day in and day out, no matter what the situation is.”
Shortly after leaving the field, Wilson was escorted from the blue medical tent on Denver’s sideline to the locker room.
When he left the game, Denver trailed the Chiefs 34-21 and had the ball first-and-goal at the 2-yard line. Backup quarterback Brett Rypien threw a fourth-and-goal touchdown pass to receiver Jerry Jeudy to draw the Broncos within 34-28 with 10:49 remaining in the game.
Denver’s final two drives with Rypien at the helm, though, ended in a punt and an interception.
“We’ve been through a lot this year and I’ve just seen (Wilson) battle every single day,” Rypien said. “I’m so proud of that (quarterbacks) room. It’s just tough.”
Wattenberg starts. With Dalton Risner out with a shoulder and back injury, rookie fifth-round draft pick Luke Wattenberg made his first career start. He had appeared on offense in two other games this season, as an extra lineman for one snap against Jacksonville in Week 8 and for 25 snaps at center against Tennessee in Week 10. Wattenberg, though, gave up two early sacks and was benched for practice squader Netane Muti and one series of Quinn Bailey.
Injuries. In addition to Wilson’s concussion, Denver running back Mike Boone was carted to the locker room with an ankle injury. A source told The Post that initial x-rays were negative for Boone and that he likely suffered a high-ankle sprain similar to the one that cost him four weeks earlier in the season.
On the second-to-last drive of the game, receiver Kendall Hinton injured his hamstring and did not return. He was hoping not to miss too much time after the game, but hamstrings typically don’t heal quickly. Outside linebacker Jacob Martin suffered a knee injury and was walking in the locker room after the game with a limp but no crutches or brace.
Inactives. Risner and No. 1 wide receiver Courtland Sutton both missed their first games of the season. Denver’s other inactives: tight end Andrew Beck (hamstring), linebacker Dakota Allen (hamstring), defensive linemen Eyioma Uwazurike (illness) and Elijah Garcia and cornerback Michael Ojemudia.
