Giants QB Wilson Fires Back at Former Coach Sean Payton Over Jaxson Dart Remarks
New York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson did not hold back on online platforms this week, responding to latest comments from his former coach Sean Payton.
"Tasteless... but not shocked...," Wilson declared via social media. "Didn't realize you're still offering rewards 15+ years later through the media."
Wilson's response pointed to the notorious bounty scandal issue from 2009-11, when Payton led the Saints.
During that period, the league found that the Saints had incentivized players for making aggressive tackles on opponents. As a result, Payton was suspended from the league for a full year.
The Cause of the Latest Dispute
The quarterback's reaction came after Payton delivered comments after Denver's remarkable 33-32 victory over the Giants. Payton remarked that the team 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 prefer facing Wilson over Dart.
"I spoke to John Mara recently and I said, 'We were hoping that change would've happened well after our game,'" Payton commented.
Background of the Coach-QB Relationship
- The quarterback joined the Broncos from Seattle in 2022 and inked a 5-year, $245M extension.
- The Broncos finished 4-11 in his debut year before Denver brought in Payton, who was coming back to coaching after a stint in broadcasting.
- Payton benched Wilson 15 games into the 2023 season, a move that prevented the player from getting injured.
If Wilson remained on the roster by March 2024, his $37M salary for 2025 would have been guaranteed. In the end, Wilson was released, marking the contentious split between the quarterback and his coach.
