Giants QB Wilson Fires Back at Former Coach Sean Payton Regarding Jaxson Dart Comments
New York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson did not hold back on online platforms this Tuesday, reacting to latest comments from his ex-mentor Sean Payton.
"Tasteless... but not shocked...," Wilson declared via social media. "Had no idea you're still bounty hunting 15+ years later through the media."
Wilson's response directly referenced the infamous Bounty Gate issue from 2009-11, when Payton was coaching the New Orleans Saints.
During that period, the NFL determined that the Saints had incentivized team members for delivering aggressive tackles on rival teams. Consequently, Payton was suspended from the NFL for a full year.
The Cause of the Recent Exchange
The quarterback's reaction came after Payton delivered remarks after Denver's historic comeback win over the New York. The coach remarked that the Giants had "found a little spark" with their new QB, who has taken over Wilson as the starting quarterback.
Moreover, Payton implied that he had informed team owner John Mara that he would prefer facing Wilson over Dart.
"I was talking to John Mara not too long ago and I said, 'We were hoping that change would've happened well after our game,'" the coach commented.
Context of the Wilson-Payton Partnership
- Wilson was traded to the Denver from the Seahawks in 2022 and inked a 5-year, $245M contract.
- The Broncos finished 4-11 in his debut year prior to the team hired Payton, who was coming back to the sidelines after a period in broadcasting.
- Payton replaced Wilson 15 games into the 2023 campaign, a decision that prevented the quarterback from getting injured.
Had Wilson remained on the roster by March 2024, his $37M pay for 2025 would have been guaranteed. In the end, Wilson was let go, marking the ugly breakup between the player and his coach.
