NEWYou can now listen to Pakinomist articles!
Russell Wilson and Sean Payton spent just one NFL season together, but the tension was still there after a rocky year.
And it looks like the tension built from that tumultuous stretch continues to linger.
Wilson’s interview on the “Bussin’ With the Boys” podcast, recorded before last month’s Super Bowl between Seattle and New England, recently resurfaced.
In the interview, Wilson doubled down on his October comment that labeled Payton “classless” and said he felt slighted by his former coach’s remarks.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON Pakinomist
Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton talks with quarterback Russell Wilson on the sideline during an NFL preseason football game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on August 11, 2023 in Glendale, Ariz. (Ryan Kang/Getty Images)
“[When] you’ve been on the same page or this and that and I got the same amount of rings you got, so Sean, right?” said Wilson, who won a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks when Payton coached the New Orleans Saints.
“I got a lot of respect for him as a play-caller, this and that, but taking a shot, I don’t like. I don’t think it’s necessary, you know, I mean, especially when I’m not even on your own team anymore. So for me, there’s a point where you have to, I’ve realized that I’ve been standing still for so long and there’s no place.
“I know who I am as a competitor, as a fighter, as a champion too, and you know, I’ve beaten Sean too. You know, like we’ve been in the same place and the same thing. And so it’s not a matter of disrespect. Just don’t disrespect me.”
Sean Payton and Russell Wilson of the Denver Broncos during a game against the Minnesota Vikings at Empower Field at Mile High on November 19, 2023 in Denver, Colo. (Ryan Kang/Getty Images)
After a rock-solid one-year stint with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024, Wilson joined the New York Giants last season. However, he was relegated to a backup role after just three games.
Rookie Jaxson Dart quickly showed promise when given the chance to start, but his season was briefly derailed by injury. Jameis Winston — not Wilson — stepped in for the Darts in a handful of games. Dart threw three touchdowns in a Week 7 matchup with the Broncos, nearly pulling off an upset in what ended up being a close loss.
After the game, Payton said Dart provided a “spark” to the Giants’ offense.
“I talked to [Giants owner] John Mara not too long ago and I said, ‘We were hoping that change would have happened long after our game,'” Payton said.
New York Giants’ Russell Wilson tries to escape a sack by Dallas Cowboys defensive end James Houston (53) during the first half of a game on Sept. 14, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Payton also said the Broncos would have faced less of a challenge if Wilson had been under center.
“Classless … but not surprised,” Wilson responded in a social media post. “We didn’t realize you’re still bounty hunting 15+ years later through the media.”
Despite last season’s struggles and talk of his football future, Wilson doesn’t seem ready to call it quits in 2026.
“I definitely want to play a few more years,” he said. “I think, for me, at least I’ve always had the vision of getting to 40. I think the game is different. Quarterbacks, we get hit. It’s not, you know, we get hit hard, but … there’s certain rules. I mean, back when I started, bro, that’s what you just get [clobbered].
“I mean, so I feel like the game allows you to, you know, live a little bit longer, I guess. I feel healthy. I feel great. But I think more than anything is, do you love the game? Do you love studying? Do you love the passion of it all? Do you love the process? Do you love the practice? Do you love – everybody loves the winning part of it, but it’s an obsessive process. part I’m obsessed with.”
Related article
