🔗 Share this article Russell Wilson Responds at Ex-Mentor Sean Payton Regarding Jaxson Dart Remarks NY Giants signal-caller Russell Wilson didn't mince words on social media this week, reacting to latest criticism from his former coach Sean Payton. "Classless... but not shocked...," Wilson declared via social media. "Had no idea you're still offering rewards 15+ years later through the media." The quarterback's remarks directly referenced the notorious bounty scandal issue from 2009 to 2011, when Payton led the New Orleans Saints. At that time, the NFL determined that the Saints had incentivized team members for delivering hard hits on opponents. Consequently, Payton was suspended from the league for a full year. The Cause of the Latest Dispute The quarterback's response came after Payton delivered comments after Denver's historic comeback victory over the New York. Payton remarked that the team had "discovered new energy" with their new QB, who has taken over Wilson as the first-string QB. Additionally, Payton implied that he had informed Giants owner John Mara that he would prefer facing 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 commented. Context of the Coach-QB Partnership Wilson was traded to the Broncos from Seattle in 2022 and inked a 5-year, $245M contract. The Broncos finished 4 wins and 11 losses in his debut year prior to the team brought in Payton, who was returning to coaching after a period in TV commentary. Payton benched Wilson late into the 2023 campaign, a decision that prevented the quarterback from getting injured. If Wilson remained on the roster by March 2024, his $37 million pay for 2025 would have been guaranteed. Ultimately, Wilson was released, marking the contentious split between the player and his mentor.