🔗 Share this article Giants QB Wilson Fires Back at Former Coach Sean Payton Over Quarterback Comments NY Giants signal-caller Russell Wilson did not hold back on online platforms this Tuesday, reacting to latest criticism from his ex-mentor Sean Payton. "Classless... but not shocked...," Wilson stated on X. "Didn't realize you're still offering rewards 15+ years later through the media." The quarterback's response pointed to the notorious Bounty Gate issue from 2009-11, when Payton led the Saints. During that period, the NFL found that the Saints had incentivized players for delivering hard hits on rival teams. Consequently, Payton was suspended from the NFL for a full year. The Cause of the Latest Exchange The quarterback's reaction came after Payton made comments after Denver's historic comeback victory over the Giants. Payton suggested that the team had "found a little spark" with Jaxson Dart, who has taken over Wilson as the starting quarterback. Additionally, Payton implied that he had told team owner John Mara that he would prefer playing against Wilson over Dart. "I spoke to John Mara not too long ago and I said, 'We hoped that change would've happened well after our game,'" the coach commented. Background of the Wilson-Payton Partnership Wilson joined the Broncos from the Seahawks in 2022 and signed a 5-year, $245M extension. The team went 4 wins and 11 losses in his first season before the team hired Payton, who was returning to coaching after a period in broadcasting. The coach benched Wilson late into the 2023 campaign, a decision that ensured the quarterback from suffering an injury. If Wilson stayed on the team by March 2024, his $37M salary for 2025 would have been guaranteed. In the end, Wilson was released, marking the contentious split between the player and his mentor.