“We need a spark.’’ – Sean Payton

Payton’s pyrotechnics have caused an extreme explosion in the NFL.

Russell Wilson’s ride, in all likelihood, most likely is done in Denver.

And the Broncos have suffered a sequential Christmess.

Last season the Broncos were humiliated by the revolting Rams on Dec. 25, and the day after Christmas, Nathaniel Hackett was fired as head coach, costing the franchise a guaranteed $12-million salary hit.

This season, considerably worse because of playoff implications, the Broncos were humiliated by the pitiful Patriots on Dec. 24, and two days after Christmas, Russell Wilson was fired as starting quarterback, costing the franchise a guaranteed $39 million and a potential $85 million salary cap hit.

The Broncos’ head coach acknowledged the rampant Wilson benching reports of Wednesday morning when he announced Wednesday afternoon that the quarterback will be replaced as the starter by the 27-year-old college-pro nomadic Jarrett Stidham, who has started just two games, losing both, in five NFL seasons (one with back surgery) and appeared this year for only four offensive plays, without a pass or incident, at the end of the Broncos’ bad beatdown vs. the Lions.

Stidham will be the Broncos’ 13th starting quarterback after Super Bowl 50. How lucky?

While Payton hesitantly hemmed-and-hawed through a media conference, and departed in a hurry, he said: “I’m aware of all that the speculation surrounding a move like that . . . In our game there’s all the economics . . . We’re desperately trying to win.’’

“The economics’’ Payton was vaguely referring to consists of Wilson’s guaranteed $39 million next season and his long-term contract, but, even more important to the Broncos, is his $37 million salary mil for 2025 also would be fully certified if he fails a physical on or before March 17. Broncos controlling owner and CEO Greg Penner, general manager George Paton and coach-and-commander Payton are doing everything possible to prevent a Wilson severe injury. One unverified report claimed that weeks ago Wilson’s camp was told the QB would be demoted unless he voided the injury clause.

Wilson and Stidham are quite familiar with the circumstances. Last season the Raiders elevated Stidham for the final two games and told starting quarterback Derek Carr to go home. He, too, had the same injury section in his deal.

However, Wilson will be available against the Chargers and the Raiders if Stidham is injured, fails miserably or becomes “The Joke’’ in town. The Broncos aren’t activating practice squad quarterback Ben DiNucci, according to Payton, who said he didn’t want to address the issue again.

Truthfully, Payton has not been enthralled with Wilson since coming to the Broncos, and their relationship (?) has deteriorated recently. Although Sean proclaimed Hackett had done one of the worst coaching jobs ever in 2022, the new head coach stated publicly that Wilson should “stop kissing babies’’, a euphemism for the quarterback’s off-season glove-trotting social activities and his special favors of having an entourage at camp and a private office.

During the season Payton has experienced problems with Wilson regarding the suspect offense (and the use of a play list on a wristband) and the quarterback’s atrocious third quarters and end-of-game performances. The coach even berated Wilson on the sideline near the conclusion of the Detroit debacle.

Obviously, the acquisition of Wilson was the worst in Broncos history as the antithesis to John Elway and Peyton Manning. Yet, Payton has not been a $90 million Miracle Maker with Wilson and the overall offense, and his timeout gaffes on the Christmas Eve (of destruction) have left the Broncos with a miniscule chance at the playoffs (1.4 percent).

All that remains for the Broncos: Can they defeat both the Chargers and the Raiders to elude a losing record for the seventh straight season? Payton, who said before the season he would be (agitated) if the Broncos didn’t make the playoffs, apparently believes Wilson (11-19 with the Broncos) cannot win, and the coach doesn’t want him to be hurt (except his feelings) in these two games.

Although Sean said “Greg, George and I’’ constantly are talking, Payton positively made the final decision on Wilson. Penner approved the $242 mil contract extension with Wilson and hired Payton, and Paton, of course, was responsible for the Wilson deal.

Penner, Paton and Payton, as a triumvirate, merely have proven to be three P’s in a pod and share the brutal brunt of the blame.

So the Broncos need more than a spark.