Russell Wilson Responds at Former Coach Sean Payton Over Jaxson Dart Remarks
New York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson did not hold back on social media this week, reacting to recent criticism from his ex-mentor Sean Payton.
"Classless... but not shocked...," Wilson stated via social media. "Had no idea you're still bounty hunting 15+ years later through the press."
The quarterback's response directly referenced the infamous bounty scandal issue from 2009 to 2011, when Payton was coaching the New Orleans Saints.
During that period, the NFL determined that the Saints had incentivized players for making aggressive tackles on opponents. Consequently, Payton was suspended from the NFL for a full year.
The Cause of the Latest Dispute
Wilson's response came after Payton delivered comments after the Broncos' remarkable 33-32 win over the New York. The coach remarked that the team had "found a little spark" with their new QB, who has taken over Wilson as the starting quarterback.
Additionally, Payton implied that he had told team owner John Mara that he would rather playing against Wilson instead of Dart.
"I spoke to John Mara not too long ago and I said, 'We hoped that the switch would've happened well after our game,'" Payton commented.
Context of the Coach-QB Relationship
- The quarterback was traded to the Denver from Seattle in 2022 and inked a five-year, $245 million extension.
- The team finished 4-11 in his first season prior to the team hired Payton, who was coming back to coaching after a period in TV commentary.
- Payton benched Wilson late into the 2023 season, a decision that prevented the quarterback from getting injured.
Had Wilson remained on the roster by spring 2024, his $37M salary for 2025 would have been guaranteed. In the end, Wilson was released, marking the ugly breakup between the player and his mentor.
