🔗 Share this article

New York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson did not hold back on online platforms this week, reacting to latest comments from his former coach Sean Payton.

"Classless... but not shocked...," Wilson stated via social media. "Didn't realize you're still offering rewards 15+ years later through the press."

The quarterback's response pointed to the infamous bounty scandal controversy from 2009-11, when Payton was coaching the Saints.

During that period, the league determined that the Saints had incentivized players for delivering hard hits on rival teams. As a result, Payton was suspended from the league for a full year.

The Cause of the Recent Dispute

Wilson's reaction came after Payton delivered comments following the Broncos' remarkable 33-32 victory over the Giants. Payton suggested that the team had "discovered new energy" with Jaxson Dart, who has replaced Wilson as the first-string QB.

Additionally, Payton implied that he had told Giants owner John Mara that he would prefer facing Wilson instead of Dart.

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

Context of the Wilson-Payton Partnership

• The quarterback joined the Denver from the Seahawks in 2022 and signed a 5-year, $245M extension.
• The Broncos went 4 wins and 11 losses in his debut year before the team hired Payton, who was returning to coaching after a stint in broadcasting.
• Payton benched Wilson late into the 2023 season, a decision that ensured the player from suffering an injury.

Had Wilson stayed on the team by March 2024, his $37 million pay for the following year would have been locked in. In the end, Wilson was let go, marking the ugly breakup between the quarterback and his mentor.