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This past October, Denver Broncos<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>head coach Sean Payton seemed to take a<\/a> shot at New York Giants<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>quarterback and former Denver starter Russell Wilson after the Giants benched Wilson in favor of then-rookie Jaxson Dart.<\/p>\n Wilson eventually fired back via X (formerly known as Twitter) and called Payton “classless.”<\/a> The one-time Super Bowl champion quarterback also accused Payton of “bounty hunting 15+ years later through the media,” a clear reference to the “Bountygate” scandal that resulted in the NFL suspending<\/a> Payton.\u00a0<\/p>\n During a recent appearance on the “Bussin’ With The Boys” podcast, Wilson shared why he publicly clapped back at Payton. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n “I don\u2019t say much,” Wilson explained, per\u00a0<\/span>Madison Williams<\/span><\/a>\u00a0of Sports Illustrated. “I never, hardly ever say anything. I think there\u2019s a time and place, but sometimes you get fatigued of people talking about you.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Shortly after Payton officially became Denver’s head coach in February 2023, a report suggested<\/span><\/a> that he had “no choice” but to work with Wilson and was already planning to part ways<\/span><\/a> with the veteran at some point down the road. Payton\u00a0<\/span>eventually benched<\/a>\u00a0Wilson in December of that year so that Denver could ultimately eat the largest\u00a0<\/span>dead cap hit<\/a>\u00a0in NFL history to release the signal-caller.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In the spring of 2024, somebody\u00a0<\/span>within the Broncos<\/a>\u00a0revealed that Wilson “struggled with snap counts” and “couldn’t manage or handle the play-calling” while working with Payton. Payton then may or may not have\u00a0<\/span>hinted<\/span><\/a>\u00a0in January 2025 that coaching Wilson was a “brutal” experience filled with “misery” and “sorrow.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n “It\u2019s one thing for people that maybe aren\u2019t in the field or people say ‘bots’ or whatever, talking \u2014 I don’t worry about that stuff,” Wilson continued during the interview. “<\/span>But, to me, when you\u2019ve been in the ring, or you\u2019ve been on the same side of this and that, and I got the same amount of rings as you got, meaning Sean \u2014 Listen, I\u2019ve got a lot of respect for him as a play-caller, this and that. But, to take a shot I don\u2019t like, I don\u2019t think it\u2019s necessary, especially when I\u2019m not even on your own team anymore. It’s not a matter of disrespect. Just don\u2019t disrespect me.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n The Giants are expected to move on from Wilson once the new league year opens on March 11, and it’s unclear if much of a market for his services will materialize. If nothing else, it could be interesting to see if Payton responds to Wilson’s latest comments once springtime workouts get underway.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\nIs Russell Wilson tired of hearing Sean Payton’s smack talk?\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Russell Wilson sends strong message to Sean Payton, other critics<\/a>
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