Wait, Did Russell Wilson’s Subway Sandwich Get Removed Over Awkward Commercials?

Russell Wilson has been making the news quite frequently during this NFL season following his trade from the Seattle Seahawks to the Denver Broncos. But not all of the reasons have been positive (something he has in common with former Super Bowl opponent Tom Brady). The quarterback is once again in the spotlight thanks to his recent collaboration with Subway, which spawned a commercial that fans have described as awkward. Now, Wilson’s sandwich is no longer on the fast food chain’s menu, and people are wondering one thing: is it because of Wilson’s ads? 

The NFL quarterback unveiled his “DangeRuss” persona as part of the promotion of his Subway menu offering called the “Dangerwich.” The sandwich is comprised of pepperoni, salami, black forest ham, provolone cheese and bacon that sit on Italian herbs and cheese bread. It's also topped with lettuce, green peppers, tomatoes, banana peppers and finished with yellow mustard and mayo. That sounds like a great combination that fans shouldn’t complain about yet, after seeing Wilson’s commercials, folks have a lot to say. Check out one of them below, which Wilson shared on his Twitter account: 

That ad campaign was launched back in May and, now that the football season is underway, some folks are likely looking to enjoy their Dangerwich while watching Russell Wilson. Unfortunately, as the New York Post pointed out, that sandwich is no longer available on Subway’s menu. A rep commented that the delicacy was removed merely to make room for other items, but fans can’t help but wonder if Wilson’s awkward commercials were a factor. At present, many memes that poke fun at the commercials are making the rounds. One even claims that the ads actively drive business to sub shop's competitors: 

While the item was dropped from the menu back in August, a rep with Subway confirmed that the meal will be returning “soon.” One has to wonder if that’ll happen, though, given the brutal memes circulating about Russell Wilson and his signature sub. The Super Bowl-winner and one-time Entourage star has struggled to return to form in his inaugural season with the Broncos and hasn’t really looked like himself in 2022 while playing. Some fans see that and wonder if the restaurant franchise might want to find another face for its franchise, unlike the Broncos:

It’s also worth noting that NFL viewers have used these commercials to mock the Broncos franchise, and edited them to make the quarterback look foolish. Take this meme for example, which was edited for fans to use when the Broncos lose, or take an “L”: 

Non-NFL fans may not realize that, generally speaking, Russell Wilson has taken flak from fans in the past for being awkward. Prior to the start of the NFL season, he became a meme after a video of him filming for the stadium’s jumbotron went viral. Ever since, “Broncos Country, Let’s Ride” has been edited and remixed and continues to be a much-used meme this season: 

With the Dangerwich allegedly returning to Subway, it’ll be interesting to see whether or not the increasing attention surrounding the commercials will result in decent sales. After all, the sandwich itself sounds appetizing, and the awkwardness of the commercial only makes it more popular. (Subway still makes Tuna sandwiches after being trolled by Jessica Simpson, after all.) So could demand for the sub reach McDonald’s Szechaun sauce levels of popularity all because of the NFL player associated with it? If so, that could be a feather in the Denver Bronco's cap, and perhaps something that will encourage fans to ease up on him a bit. (And if that doesn't work, then can we talk about more positive things, like Wilson's adorable dog.

You can check their local listings for a rundown of when Russell Wilson and the Denver Broncos will play in your area. Football fans may want to pick up an Amazon Prime subscription this year due to its Thursday Night Football deal, or check out CinemaBlend's guide on the NFL+ app to see if that’s a viable option for you.