Giants QB Wilson Fires Back at Former Coach Sean Payton Over Quarterback Remarks
New York Giants signal-caller Russell Wilson didn't mince words on social media this Tuesday, reacting to latest comments from his ex-mentor Sean Payton.
"Tasteless... but not shocked...," Wilson declared on X. "Didn't realize you're still bounty hunting 15+ years later through the press."
Wilson's response directly referenced the infamous bounty scandal controversy from 2009 to 2011, when Payton was coaching the Saints.
During that period, the league determined that the Saints had rewarded players for delivering hard hits on opponents. Consequently, Payton was suspended from the NFL for one season.
The Cause of the Recent Dispute
Wilson's reaction came after Payton delivered comments after the Broncos' historic 33-32 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 starting quarterback.
Additionally, Payton implied that he had informed team owner John Mara that he would rather facing Wilson instead of Dart.
"I spoke to John Mara not too long ago and I said, 'We hoped that the switch would've happened long after our game,'" the coach stated.
Context of the Wilson-Payton Partnership
- The quarterback joined the Broncos from Seattle in 2022 and inked a five-year, $245M contract.
- The Broncos finished 4-11 in his first season prior to Denver brought in Payton, who was coming back to coaching after a stint in TV commentary.
- The coach replaced Wilson 15 games into the 2023 season, a decision that prevented the player from getting injured.
If Wilson stayed on the team by March 2024, his $37M salary for the following year would have been locked in. In the end, Wilson was let go, ending the contentious split between the quarterback and his coach.
