Russell Wilson Fires Back at Ex-Mentor Sean Payton Regarding Jaxson Dart Remarks

NY Giants quarterback Russell Wilson didn't mince words on social media this week, responding to recent comments from his former coach Sean Payton.

"Tasteless... but not shocked...," Wilson stated via social media. "Had no idea you're still bounty hunting 15+ years later through the media."

The quarterback's remarks pointed to the notorious bounty scandal issue from 2009 to 2011, when Payton led the New Orleans Saints.

During that period, the NFL found that the Saints had incentivized team members for delivering aggressive tackles on opponents. Consequently, Payton was suspended from the league for a full year.

The Cause of the Recent Dispute

The quarterback's response came after Payton delivered comments after the Broncos' remarkable 33-32 victory over the Giants. The coach remarked that the Giants had "found a little spark" with their new QB, who has replaced Wilson as the starting quarterback.

Moreover, Payton implied that he had told team owner John Mara that he would prefer facing Wilson over Dart.

"I was talking to John Mara recently and I said, 'We were hoping that change would've happened long after our game,'" the coach commented.

Background of the Coach-QB Partnership

• Wilson was traded to the Denver from the Seahawks in 2022 and signed a 5-year, $245M contract.
• The Broncos finished 4-11 in his first season before Denver hired Payton, who was returning to the sidelines after a period in broadcasting.
• The coach replaced Wilson 15 games into the 2023 campaign, a decision that prevented the quarterback from suffering an injury.

Had Wilson stayed on the roster by spring 2024, his $37M salary for the following year would have been guaranteed. In the end, Wilson was let go, marking the contentious breakup between the quarterback and his coach.