Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton is walking back his clear jab at New York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson, his former colleague. Payton was asked about Wilson's clap back on X from Tuesday, in which the typically cool-headed former Broncos QB invoked Payton's "Bountygate" past.
Sean Payton said in no way shape or form was he taking a shot at Russell Wilson after the game, but understands how it could come off that way pic.twitter.com/gDq6fhJBGH
— Zac Stevens (@ZacStevensDNVR) October 22, 2025
"That was strictly about [Jaxson] Dart," Payton told reporters on Wednesday of his post-game comments after the Broncos scored 33 points in the fourth quarter to break the Giants' hearts. "It was in no way shape or form ... directed at Russ. I might be able to see how he might perceive that."
Payton claimed he was just complimenting the Giants' 2025 first-round QB in Jaxson Dart for his efforts in Sunday's game. His comments on Sunday referenced a conversation he had with Giants owner John Mara earlier in the season.
"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 [QB] change would've happened long after our game,'" he told reporters Sunday.
Sean Payton's supposed walk back after Russell Wilson called him out proves he still doesn't get it
Wilson may have played poorly at QB for the Broncos and now the Giants, but he isn't stupid. The 36-year-old knew exactly who Payton was sub-tweeting with his supposed compliment of Dart.
It took him standing up for himself when he typically would turn the other cheek for Payton to realize his subtle bullying wasn't going to just be tolerated. He didn't even apologize in his apparent walk back of the comments. In fact, he practically admitted to the swipe by acknowledging Wilson's point of view. Rather than own up to his criticism of Wilson, which he hasn't hidden before, he's hiding behind an excuse.
Payton's history of taking swipes at his former employees and players is just a long receipt of his ego dominating and lack of accountability. Wilson may have not been the Super Bowl champion-caliber player he was hoping he'd be when he traded for him from Seattle, but Payton was also the guy in charge of coaching him up to his system in Denver. He clearly failed at that task.
He could've easily just said something along the lines of, 'Dart played really well, the Giants have got something in him,' but instead he had to mention head coach Brian Daboll's decision to bench Wilson just three weeks into the season.
Payton didn't have the guts to bench Wilson until there were two games left in the 2023 season, and at that point eight teams already had their way with the Broncos. Payton knew what he was doing with his words on Sunday and NFL fans, if they haven't already, need to wise up to his antics.