Russell Wilson opens up on Sean Payton feud years after Broncos coach benched and waived him in Denver
Known for his relentless positivity, NFL quarterback Russell Wilson said he felt disrespected by the Denver Broncos’ Sean Payton in October when he lashed out at his former head coach in a rare negative social media post.
‘I don’t say much. I never, hardly ever say anything,’ Wilson told former Tennessee Titans teammates Will Compton and Taylor Lewan this week on the Bussin’ With The Boys podcast. ‘I think there’s a time and place, but sometimes you get fatigued of people talking about you.’
There had been tension between the two since 2023, when Payton benched Wilson in Denver following consecutive December losses. At the time, a NFL Network report claimed the Broncos did this to ‘preserve financial flexibility.’
Had Wilson been hurt – and failed to pass a physical in March 2024 – he would have been guaranteed $37m from the Broncos the following season. Instead, Denver was able to cut Wilson, who went on to play for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024 and New York Giants in 2025.
As luck would have it, the Giants played Payton’s Broncos last season, but Wilson did not see any action as he’d been replaced as starter by rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart weeks earlier.
Payton then appeared to take a swipe at Wilson after Denver’s 33-32 win over New York: ‘They found a little spark with that quarterback [Dart]. I was talking to [Giants co-owner] John Mara not too long ago, and I said we were hoping that change would’ve happened long after our game.’
Sean Payton benched Russell Wilson (right) during their one season together in Denver
Wilson responded online by referencing the bounty scandal that led to a year-long suspension for Payton during his tenure with the New Orleans Saints.
‘Classless,’ Wilson wrote on X, ‘but not surprised….. Didn’t realize you’re still bounty hunting 15+ years later through the media.’
The Saints’ bounty scandal involved a slush fund used to pay New Orleans players for injuring opponents, according to a league investigation that also accused Payton of a coverup. The Coach later issued a statement taking ‘full responsibility’ for that scandal.
‘I don’t say much,’ Wilson told Lewan and Compton this week. ‘I never, hardly ever say anything. I think there’s a time and place, but sometimes you get fatigued of people talking about you.
‘It’s one thing for people that maybe aren’t in the field or people say ‘bots’ or whatever, talking—I don’t worry about that stuff,’ Wilson continued. ‘But, to me, when you’ve been in the ring or you’ve been on the same side of this and that, and I got the same amount of rings as you got, meaning Sean—Listen, I’ve got a lot of respect for him as a play caller, this and that. But, to take a shot I don’t like, I don’t think it’s necessary, especially when I’m not even on your own team anymore.
‘It’s not a matter of disrespect, just don’t disrespect me.’
A former Super Bowl winner with Seattle who has not played a full season since 2020, Wilson is now entering free agency with an uncertain future.
