Russell Wilson Fires Back at Ex-Mentor Sean Payton Over Jaxson Dart Comments

New York Giants signal-caller Russell Wilson did not hold back on social media this week, responding to latest comments from his ex-mentor Sean Payton.

"Tasteless... but not surprised...," Wilson declared on X. "Didn't realize you're still offering rewards 15+ years later through the press."

Wilson's remarks directly referenced the notorious bounty scandal issue from 2009-11, when Payton was coaching the New Orleans Saints.

At that time, the NFL determined that the Saints had rewarded team members for making aggressive tackles on rival teams. As a result, Payton was suspended from the NFL for a full year.

The Cause of the Latest Dispute

Wilson's reaction came after Payton made remarks following Denver's historic comeback victory over the New York. Payton suggested that the Giants had "discovered new energy" with Jaxson Dart, who has taken over Wilson as the first-string QB.

Additionally, Payton hinted that he had told team owner John Mara that he would rather facing Wilson instead of Dart.

"I spoke to John Mara recently and I said, 'We hoped that the switch would've happened well after our game,'" the coach commented.

Context of the Coach-QB Partnership

• The quarterback was traded to the Broncos from Seattle in 2022 and signed a five-year, $245M extension.
• The team finished 4 wins and 11 losses in his debut year prior to Denver brought in Payton, who was returning to the sidelines after a stint in TV commentary.
• The coach benched Wilson 15 games into the 2023 campaign, a move that prevented the player from getting injured.

If Wilson remained on the roster by March 2024, his $37M salary for the following year would have been locked in. In the end, Wilson was released, ending the contentious split between the player and his mentor.