Russell Wilson calls Sean Payton ‘classless’ after Broncos win

Denver Broncos Head coach Sean Payton gives New York Giants rookie Jackson Dart his flowers after Sunday’s win over the Broncos.

But Payton wanted to face a seasoned Super Bowl champion quarterback veteran Dart is behind Russell Wilson.

“They saw a little spark in that quarterback,” Payton said of Dart in the postgame press conference after Denver’s 33-32 win. “I was talking to (Giants owner) John Mara a long time ago, and I said we hope to see a change long after our game.”

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Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton talks with quarterback Russell Wilson during a preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on August 11, 2023 in Glendale, Ariz. (Ryan Kang/Getty Images)

While Payton simply meant Dart gave his team problems — the Giants led 26-8 in the fourth quarter before mounting a thrilling comeback — Wilson didn’t appreciate his former Broncos coach’s words.

The two have a clear history and Wilson saw his former head coach’s comments as “classless”.

“Classless… but not surprised… 15+ years later you still get bounty hunting by the media,” Wilson posted along with a few smiley emojis at X and his famous #LetsRide hashtag he used while a member of the Broncos in 2022-23.

Giants’ Brian Daball discusses Jackson Dart vs. Russell Wilson: ‘It’s my decision’

Wilson’s “bounty hunting” comment while head coach is also a blow to Payton’s scandal. New Orleans Saints. The NFL found Payton’s team guilty of targeting players with bounties, leading to a season-long suspension of the head coach in 2012 as part of the league’s harshest punishment.

After being traded from the Seattle Seahawks to the Broncos in 2022, the relationship between Wilson and Payton was rocky. That didn’t last long for Wilson. Payton benched him in 2023 and was released in the 2024 offseason, despite Denver picking up a whopping $85 million in dead money.

Wilson went 11–19 for Denver and played in zero playoff games.

Sean Payton and Russell Wilson of the Denver Broncos look on the sideline during the game against the Minnesota Vikings at Empower Field at Mile High on November 19, 2023 in Denver. (Ryan Kang/Getty Images)

Wilson wasn’t happy about his benching in 2023, especially since 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 to pass a physical on the fifth day of his rookie year in March 2024.

Broncos owner and CEO Greg Penner denied the team ever threatened Wilson. He said the franchise wants to negotiate “in good faith” about contract adjustments, although Wilson said he would join the NFLPA. The NFLPA later sent a letter to the Broncos saying any threat would be a violation of the league’s CBA.

Still being paid by the Broncos, Wilson signed a veteran minimum contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers for one season. The Giants signed Wilson this past offseason to provide a veteran presence around Dart, as well as Jameis Winston, who New York traded out of Ole Miss in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.

Head coach Brian Daboll made it clear during training camp that Wilson was a starter for his team, but after three straight losses early in the season, the switch was made to Dart. Dart won his first NFL start in Week 4 at MetLife Stadium in a major upset over the Broncos’ AFC West nemesis, the Los Angeles Chargers.

Russell Wilson of the New York Giants looks on the sidelines during the national anthem before their game against the Philadelphia Eagles at MetLife Stadium on October 9, 2025, in East Rutherford, NJ. (Cooper Neal/Getty Images)

Dart and the Giants should have been victorious in Denver, too, but the epic proportions were cut short when Will Lutz drilled a game-winning field goal to cement the biggest comeback win in the NFL this season.

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With Wilson backing him up in New York, Dart’s offense remains intact for the foreseeable future.

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