Russell Wilson and Sean Payton still can't seem to get along. The former Broncos quarterback fired back at his old coach Tuesday, calling Payton "classless" in a post on X.
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Wilson's jab came after Payton appeared to take a subtle shot at him following Denver's 33-32 win over the Giants on Sunday.
Payton told reporters he had recently spoken with Giants owner John Mara and admitted he had hoped New York wouldn't switch quarterbacks before facing his team.
The Giants had benched Wilson earlier in the year in favor of rookie Jaxson Dart, who nearly led them to a comeback win. The comment made it clear: Payton was happy not to face his former QB.
Wilson didn't take it lightly. "Classless," he wrote on X, adding that he wasn't surprised by Payton's remarks and alluding to his connection to the infamous "Bountygate" scandal from Payton's time with the New Orleans Saints.
Payton was suspended for the entire 2012 season after the league determined he knew about defensive bounties and attempted to hide the scheme.
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
The bad blood between the two goes back to their lone season together in Denver. Payton replaced Nathaniel Hackett in 2023 and quickly clashed with Wilson over both performance and personality. He ultimately benched the veteran for the final two games that season, then moved on entirely in the offseason.
Wilson's play since hasn't helped his case — he lost the starting job in New York to Dart — but he clearly hasn't forgotten how things ended with Payton.
