Russell Wilson and Sean Payton’s fractured relationship has once again spilled into the public eye, but this time, nearly 2 years after their messy Broncos divorce. What started as an unceremonious benching in 2023 over non-sporting reasons, followed by Wilson’s release and Payton’s blunt postgame remarks, has now reignited into one of the most heated player-coach feuds this season.
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It all began after the Denver Broncos’ 33-32 comeback win over the New York Giants, where Payton praised Giants rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart in a way that rubbed Russell Wilson the wrong way.
“They found a little spark with that quarterback. I was talking to John Mara not too long ago, and I said we were hoping that change would’ve happened long after our game,” Payton said postgame. What might’ve sounded harmless to most however was enough for the Super Bowl winner to interpret it as a thinly veiled shot at his own struggles.
The 36-year-old quarterback, who spent two rocky seasons under Payton before being released by Denver, fired back on X the next day with a cutting response that immediately went viral.
“Classless… but not surprised. Didn’t realize you’re still bounty hunting 15+ years later through the media. Lets ride,” Wilson wrote. Once again, this statement too may not seem venomous at first, but it has layers to it.
For context, the “bounty hunting” jab was a direct reference to Sean Payton’s infamous Bountygate scandal from 2009, which saw the coach suspended for a year for his role in the New Orleans Saints’ illegal bounty program. Safe to say, this was a brutal yet calculated reminder that Russell Wilson wasn’t about to stay silent anymore.
And if anyone appreciated that shift in tone, it was Cam Newton. On his 4th & 1 podcast, the former MVP passionately backed Russ for standing up for himself, arguing that the Broncos HC’s constant criticism and the league’s mockery of Wilson had gone too far.
“Russell Luther Wilson, my boy, they can’t keep playing with your name though,” Newton said. “Don’t keep playing with me. Hey, don’t play with me … sometimes, dawg, I’m telling you, man, you got to remind folks you ain’t to be played with.”
Newton then went on to compare Wilson’s resurgence in New York to a relationship that finally brings out the best in someone after years of mismatch. “Somebody may bring something out of you that you didn’t even know was buried in you,” Newton asserted. “Now you able to say, ‘Man, I’m thriving. I’m waking up with a good spark. I ain’t just alive — I’m alive and well.’”
That said, it’s worth noting that Sean Payton has since tried to clear the air, claiming the remark wasn’t aimed at his former quarterback at all. “That was strictly about Dart… But I might be able to see how [Russ] might have perceived that, but that wasn’t the intention,” Payton remarked.
Still, the damage may already be done. Because for many, including Cam Newton, Russell Wilson’s sharp response felt justified after years of being an easy target. So, whether or not Payton meant it as a slight, this latest episode reminded everyone that Russell Wilson is no longer willing to stay silent while others define his story.
