Giants QB Wilson Responds at Former Coach Sean Payton Regarding Jaxson Dart Remarks

New York Giants signal-caller Russell Wilson didn't mince words on online platforms this Tuesday, responding to latest criticism from his ex-mentor Sean Payton.

"Classless... but not shocked...," Wilson declared on X. "Had no idea you're still offering rewards 15+ years later through the press."

Wilson's response directly referenced the infamous bounty scandal controversy from 2009-11, when Payton led the New Orleans Saints.

At that time, the NFL found that the Saints had incentivized players for delivering aggressive tackles on opponents. Consequently, Payton received a suspension from the NFL for one season.

The Cause of the Recent Exchange

Wilson's reaction came after Payton made comments after Denver's remarkable 33-32 victory over the Giants. The coach remarked that the Giants had "found a little spark" with their new QB, who has taken over Wilson as the first-string QB.

Additionally, Payton implied that he had told Giants owner John Mara that he would rather playing against Wilson instead of Dart.

"I was talking to John Mara recently and I said, 'We hoped that change would've happened well after our game,'" Payton stated.

Background of the Wilson-Payton Partnership

• The quarterback joined the Broncos from the Seahawks in 2022 and inked a five-year, $245 million contract.
• The Broncos finished 4-11 in his debut year before Denver hired Payton, who was coming back to the sidelines after a period in TV commentary.
• The coach benched Wilson 15 games into the 2023 season, a decision that prevented the quarterback from getting injured.

If Wilson stayed on the roster by spring 2024, his $37M pay for 2025 would have been locked in. In the end, Wilson was let go, ending the contentious split between the quarterback and his coach.