🔗 Share this article Giants QB Wilson Responds at Former Coach Sean Payton Over Quarterback Comments NY Giants quarterback Russell Wilson didn't mince words on social media this Tuesday, responding to latest criticism from his ex-mentor Sean Payton. "Classless... but not surprised...," Wilson declared via social media. "Didn't realize you're still bounty hunting 15+ years later through the media." The quarterback's response directly referenced the infamous bounty scandal controversy from 2009 to 2011, when Payton was coaching the New Orleans Saints. During that period, the NFL determined that the Saints had incentivized team members for making hard hits on opponents. As a result, Payton was suspended from the NFL for one season. The Cause of the Latest Exchange The quarterback's response came after Payton made comments following the Broncos' remarkable comeback win over the Giants. The coach suggested that the team had "discovered new energy" with Jaxson Dart, who has taken over Wilson as the starting quarterback. Additionally, Payton implied that he had told Giants 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 hoped that the switch would've happened well after our game,'" Payton commented. Background of the Wilson-Payton Relationship Wilson was traded to the Denver from the Seahawks in 2022 and inked a five-year, $245M contract. The team went 4 wins and 11 losses in his first season prior to Denver hired Payton, who was returning to coaching after a period in TV commentary. The coach replaced Wilson late into the 2023 campaign, a move that ensured the quarterback from getting injured. If Wilson stayed on the team by spring 2024, his $37 million pay for the following year would have been locked in. In the end, Wilson was released, ending the ugly breakup between the player and his mentor.