Russell Wilson engaged in a rare public spat on Tuesday afternoon.
The New York Giants quarterback, who was recently benched in favor of rookie Jaxson Dart, took to social media to respond to a comment made by Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton during his postgame press conference after the Broncos capped off an improbable comeback against the Giants.
Sean Payton talks about the Giants’ organization and his respect for the Mara and Tisch families:
“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 that change would’ve happened long after our game.'” pic.twitter.com/Zk7TVXs1xY
— Giants Videos (@SNYGiants) October 20, 2025
“They found a little spark with that quarterback,” Payton said of Dart. “I was talking to [Giants owner] John Mara not too long ago and I said, ‘We were hoping that that change would’ve happened long after our game,'” the Broncos head coach said, taking a thinly veiled shot at Wilson. Payton coached Wilson in Denver for one season, with the veteran quarterback leading the Broncos to a 7-8 record as a starter in 2023.
Clearly, there’s some bad blood between the two. After the 2023 season, Denver released Wilson, eating a monstrous dead-cap hit in the process. Wilson would go on to sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers on a veteran-minimum contract, putting the Broncos on the hook for almost the entirety of his nearly $50 million per year deal.
On Tuesday, Wilson took notice of his former coach’s comments, calling them “classless.”
Classless… but not surprised….
Didn’t realize you’re still bounty hunting 15+ years later through the media. 😎😂 #LetsRide 🤣— Russell Wilson (@DangeRussWilson) October 21, 2025
“Classless… but not surprised,” Wilson wrote. “Didn’t realize you’re still bounty hunting 15+ years later through the media,” he quipped.
Russell Wilson is not typically one to engage in a public beef. It’s well-documented that his persona is relentlessly positive. So for Wilson to respond in a public forum seemingly signals a level of disdain for Payton.
About Drew Lerner
Drew Lerner is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and an aspiring cable subscriber. He previously covered sports media for Sports Media Watch. Future beat writer for the Oasis reunion tour.