Giants QB Wilson Responds at Ex-Mentor Sean Payton Over Jaxson Dart Comments

New York Giants signal-caller Russell Wilson didn't mince words on social media this Tuesday, reacting to latest comments from his former coach Sean Payton.

"Tasteless... but not shocked...," Wilson stated via social media. "Didn't realize you're still offering rewards 15+ years later through the press."

Wilson's remarks pointed to the notorious bounty scandal controversy from 2009 to 2011, when Payton led the Saints.

At that time, the NFL determined that the Saints had incentivized team members for making hard hits on rival teams. Consequently, Payton was suspended from the NFL for one season.

The Cause of the Latest Dispute

Wilson's response came after Payton delivered comments following Denver's historic 33-32 victory over the Giants. The coach suggested that the Giants had "found a little spark" with their new QB, who has replaced Wilson as the first-string QB.

Moreover, Payton implied that he had informed Giants 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 long after our game,'" the coach commented.

Background of the Wilson-Payton Partnership

  • Wilson was traded to the Broncos from Seattle in 2022 and signed a 5-year, $245 million extension.
  • The team went 4-11 in his first season before the team hired Payton, who was coming back to the sidelines after a period in broadcasting.
  • The coach replaced Wilson 15 games into the 2023 campaign, a move that prevented the player from suffering an injury.

Had Wilson remained on the team by spring 2024, his $37M pay for the following year would have been guaranteed. In the end, Wilson was released, marking the ugly breakup between the quarterback and his mentor.

Timothy Dawson
Timothy Dawson

A seasoned casino analyst with over a decade of experience in online gaming, specializing in slot machine mechanics and player psychology.