Sean Payton responds to Russell Wilson after off-script clap back over perceived insult

Russell Wilson went completely off-script on Tuesday in his response to what he perceived to be an insult coming from Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton.

It all started after the New York Giants lost to the Broncos on Sunday. Payton admitted after the game he told Giants owner John Mara "not too long ago" that he didn't want New York to go from Wilson to rookie Jaxson Dart before the game against the Broncos, which was taken as a shot at the Giants quarterback.

"They found a little spark with that quarterback," Payton said, according to video from SNY. "I was talking to John Mara not too long ago and I said we were hoping that change (from Wilson to Dart) would've happened long after our game."

On Tuesday, Wilson, who played under Payton in Denver for one very bad season in 2023, took to social media and fired back at his former head coach, which is rare, to say the least, for the normally on-script, mild-mannered veteran signal-caller.

"Classless… but not surprised…. Didn’t realize you’re still bounty hunting 15+ years later through the media," Wilson said on X.

On Wednesday, Payton was asked about the situation and said he did not mean his comment as a slight at Wilson, but rather he was caught up in the emotion of the victory over the Giants and was simply trying to praise the rookie.

He did understand why Wilson took it that way, though.

"The euphoria, the way that game unfolded, that was strictly about Dart," Payton said. "That was in no way, shape or form anything that was directed at Russ. And I might be able to see how he might be able to perceive that, but coming off that win and watching how (Dart) played, that wasn't any intention at all."

It's easy to see why Payton might have fired a shot at his former quarterback after their messy relationship during their days together in Denver.

And it's easy to interpret what Payton said as a slight at Wilson.

Even if Payton meant that as a shot at his former player, he wouldn't admit it publicly, so there's that, also.

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