Russell Wilson was booed on his return to the Seattle Seahawks as he made his Denver Broncos debut in a 17-16 defeat.
Wilson led the Seahawks to back-to-back Super Bowls in 2014 and 2015, winning the former over the Broncos.
But his new side could not start the season with a win, as Brandon McManus saw his 64-yard field-goal attempt sail wide with 15 seconds to go.
Geno Smith, Wilson’s replacement as Seahawks quarterback, made 23 of 28 passes for 195 yards and two touchdowns, as he started the season as a team’s first-choice quarterback for the first time since 2014, when he was at the New York Jets.
Wilson finished 29 of 42 passes for 340 yards, and found Jerry Jeudy with a 67-yard touchdown pass, but the Broncos committed 12 penalties and fumbled twice on the goalline.
“I couldn’t have been more locked in,” said Wilson, despite his hostile welcome. “It just didn’t go our way. But guess what? There’s 16 more games to go.”
Wilson won more games in his first decade in the league than any other quarterback in NFL history while with the Seahawks, which prompted the Broncos to give up five draft picks and three players to get their man.
The new Broncos ownership group, which includes Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton, then signed Wilson to a five-year extension on the eve of the new season, which is worth up to $245m (£210m), as they see him as the man to lead them back to the Super Bowl.
Denver have not made the play-offs since winning Super Bowl 50 in 2016, with 11 different players starting at quarterback since Peyton Manning retired.
