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NY Giants signal-caller Russell Wilson did not hold back on online platforms this week, reacting to latest comments from his former coach Sean Payton.

"Classless... but not surprised...," Wilson declared via social media. "Had no idea you're still bounty hunting 15+ years later through the press."

The quarterback's remarks directly referenced the infamous bounty scandal controversy from 2009-11, when Payton was coaching the New Orleans Saints.

At that time, the league found that the Saints had incentivized players for making aggressive tackles on opponents. Consequently, Payton was suspended from the league for one season.

The Cause of the Latest Dispute

Wilson's response came after Payton made comments after the Broncos' remarkable comeback win over the Giants. Payton remarked that the team had "found a little spark" with their new QB, who has taken over Wilson as the first-string QB.

Moreover, Payton implied that he had informed Giants owner John Mara that he would prefer facing Wilson over Dart.

"I spoke to John Mara not too long ago and I said, 'We hoped that the switch would've happened well after our game,'" the coach commented.

Context of the Wilson-Payton Relationship

• The quarterback was traded to the Broncos from the Seahawks in 2022 and signed a 5-year, $245M extension.
• The team finished 4 wins and 11 losses in his debut year prior to Denver brought in Payton, who was coming back to the sidelines after a stint in broadcasting.
• The coach benched Wilson 15 games into the 2023 campaign, a decision that prevented the quarterback from getting injured.

Had 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 contentious split between the player and his mentor.