Sean Payton and Russell Wilson found themselves at the center of a social media storm in October 2025. Things escalated after the Broncos coach appeared to criticize his former quarterback over being benched in favor of Jaxson Dart during his stint with the New York Giants. Payton’s remarks prompted a reply from Wilson on X, and soon, tension between the two quickly gained traction.

“Classless, but not surprised. Didn’t realize you’re still bounty hunting 15+ years later through the media,” Wilson had posted on X on October 21, and in a new episode of Bussin’ with the Boys podcast, he doubled down on his response and explained why he felt the need to push back in the first place.

“I don’t say much, I hardly ever say anything,” Wilson mentioned on the podcast, referring to his old tweet on Payton. “I think there’s a time and place, but sometimes you get fatigued of people talking about you. It’s one thing for people who maybe aren’t in the field or people who say bots or whatever. I don’t worry about that stuff. That’s never going to happen.

“But to me, when you’ve been in the ring, or you’ve been on the same side, and I got the same amount of rings as you got, meaning Sean [Payton]. Listen, I got a lot of respect for him as a play-caller, but to take a shot, I don’t like that. I don’t think it’s necessary, especially when I’m not even on your own team anymore.”

The veteran spent just one year playing under Payton during the 2023 campaign after the Denver Broncos hired the coach to take over for Nathaniel Hackett. The issues, however, unraveled late in the season when Wilson was benched to protect him from injury. Although Denver released him in March 2024, the organization remained on the hook for $85 million over the next two years because of the lucrative deal he had signed.

But now, for a quarterback often criticized for being overly polished and corporate, Wilson is making it clear he is done staying quiet, especially when it comes to his former coach. He didn’t like the fact that Payton spoke about him at a time when they were no longer serving the same team.

“I have realized I stayed quiet for so long,” the quarterback added. “I know who I am as a competitor, as a warrior, as a champion, too. I have beaten Sean, too. We have been in the same place and same thing. And so, it’s not a matter of disrespect. Just don’t disrespect me.”

What did Sean Payton say to disrespect Russell Wilson?

Wilson’s “classless” comment was a response to what Payton said in October 2025, after the Broncos’ 33-32 win over the Giants. After the victory, the coach mentioned how the New York team found a little spark with Jaxson Dart, who had replaced Wilson as the team’s starting quarterback. He also mentioned that he told the Giants team owner, John Mara, that he would rather face Wilson than Dart as an opponent.

Payton’s comment, or rather, disrespect, as Wilson called it, was the last straw.

Wilson responded with his “classless” tweet, which referred to the ‘Bounty Gate’ controversy during Payton’s tenure with the New Orleans Saints. The NFL determined that the Saints had operated a system that rewarded players for delivering punishing hits on opponents, and Payton was handed a one-year suspension as a result.

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But after Wilson’s tweet, Payton defended his statement.

Sean Payton didn’t mean to offend Wilson

Just a day after Wilson’s tweet, Payton was asked if he had the time to look at it, and the coach mentioned he did.

“I did see it,” Payton said. “In the euphoria, the way that game unfolded, that was strictly about Dart. And that was in no way, shape, or form anything that was directed at Russ. And I might be able to see how he might perceive that. Coming off that win and watching how Dart played, that wasn’t any intention at all.”

Part of the lingering tension between them may trace back to Wilson’s claim that the Broncos warned they would sit him earlier in the 2023 season with Denver unless he agreed to remove the injury guarantee from his contract. At the time, there was a $37 million injury guarantee in Russell Wilson’s contract that would have kicked in if he failed his physical on the fifth day of the new league year in March 2024.

Payton benched the veteran for 15 games back then. That move was explained as an attempt to keep the quarterback healthy.

But after parting ways with Wilson, the Broncos’ owner/CEO Greg Penner pushed back on claims that the franchise had used a potential benching as leverage over Wilson’s injury guarantee. He insisted that any discussions about revising the contract were handled in good faith. Wilson, however, countered that the NFLPA stepped in and issued a letter to the team, stating that such a move would breach the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement.