Russell Wilson calls Sean Payton ‘classless’ after Broncos win
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Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton presented New York Giants rookie Jaxson Dart with flowers after the Broncos’ epic come-from-behind win on Sunday.
But Payton wanted to face Russell Wilson, the Giants’ veteran Super Bowl champion quarterback behind the Darts.
“They found a little spark in that quarterback,” Payton said of Dart in the postgame press conference after Denver’s 33-32 victory. “I was talking [Giants owner] “It wasn’t that long ago that John Mara and I said we hope the change will happen long after our game.”
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Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton talks to quarterback Russell Wilson on the sideline during a preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals on Aug. 11, 2023, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. (Ryan Kang/Getty Images)
Although Payton simply meant that Dart was causing his team trouble – the Giants were up 26-8 late in the fourth quarter before a thrilling comeback – Wilson didn’t much appreciate the former Broncos coach’s words.
These two clearly have a history, and Wilson dismissed his former head coach’s comments as “classless.”
“Classless… but I’m not surprised… I didn’t realize you were still bounty hunting through the media over 15 years later,” Wilson said, with a laughing emoji at X and the famous #LetsRide hashtag he used while a member of the Broncos from 2022-23.
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Wilson’s “bounty hunting” comment is also a jab at Payton’s scandal while he was head coach of the New Orleans Saints. The NFL found Payton’s staff guilty of awarding bounties to targeted players, which led to the head coach’s season-long suspension in 2012 as part of a hefty penalty from the league.
The relationship between Wilson and Payton was rocky, to say the least, following Wilson’s trade from the Seattle Seahawks to the Broncos in 2022. This situation did not last long for Wilson. Payton benched him in 2023 and he was released in the 2024 offseason despite Denver taking on $85 million in dead money.
Wilson went 11-19 in his first game in Denver with no playoff appearances.
Sean Payton and Russell Wilson of the Denver Broncos watch from the sidelines during the game against the Minnesota Vikings at Empower Field at Mile High on November 19, 2023 in Denver. (Ryan Kang/Getty Images)
Wilson was unhappy with his benching in 2023, especially after he said the Broncos threatened to bench him earlier that year if he didn’t waive the injury guarantee in his contract. Wilson was guaranteed $37 million if he failed a physical on the fifth day of the new league year in March 2024.
Broncos owner and CEO Greg Penner denied the team threatened Wilson. Wilson said the franchise wanted to negotiate in “good faith” on contract adjustments, although he said he would involve the NFLPA. The NFLPA later sent a letter to the Broncos stating that any threat would violate the league’s CBA.
Wilson, currently receiving salary from the Broncos, signed a one-season, veteran-minimum deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers. In addition to Wilson, the Giants also signed Jameis Winston last summer to provide a veteran presence around Dart, whom New York traded away from Ole Miss in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Head coach Brian Daboll made it clear throughout training camp that Wilson was his team’s starter, but after three consecutive defeats in the season opener, the switch was made to the Darts. Darts earned his first NFL start in Week 4 at MetLife Stadium in a blowout upset of the Broncos’ AFC West foe, the Los Angeles Chargers.
Russell Wilson of the New York Giants looks on from the sideline during the national anthem before the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at MetLife Stadium on October 9, 2025 in East Rutherford, N.J. (Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
The Darts and the Giants were supposed to prevail in Denver as well, but a collapse of epic proportions occurred as Wil Lutz hit a game-winning field goal to clinch the NFL’s biggest comeback win this season.
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With Wilson backing him up in New York, it will continue to be the Darts’ offense for the foreseeable future.
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