Sean Payton's response to Russell Wilson will leave fans disappointed

Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton isn't going to pick a fight with New York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson.

After Wilson called Payton "classless" in a tweet on Tuesday, Payton addressed it in his Wednesday news conference. Instead of offering a comeback, he gave a dry answer to downplay their beef.

Sean Payton responds to Russell Wilson 

Following the Broncos' 33-32 comeback win over the Giants in Week 7, Payton said he wished the Giants had benched Wilson in favor of rookie QB Jaxson Dart "long after our game." He insists his comment was not about Wilson, who started 15 games for Payton in 2023. 

"In the euphoria, the way the game unfolded, that was strictly about Dart," the coach 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 perceive that. But coming off that win and watching how [Dart] played, yeah, that wasn't any intention at all."  

You sure about that, coach? Dart impressed against Denver's sixth-ranked passing defense (179.9 YPG), completing 15 of 33 passes for 283 yards and three touchdowns and tossing one interception. That doesn't change that Payton's comment insulted Wilson, whom he often scorned in Denver. 

Along with perceived digs at the former Seattle Seahawks star, Payton would berate the 10-time Pro Bowler during games. In a December 2023 loss to the Detroit Lions, he eviscerated the QB in a sideline spat. Wilson was subsequently benched in favor of backup QB Jarrett Stidham for the final two games of the 2023 season and released by the team in March 2024.

Perhaps Payton wants to move on and eliminate potential distractions for his team. The 5-2 Broncos are first in the AFC West due in part to Wilson's replacement, QB Bo Nix. Through seven starts, the second-year passer ranks 11th in the league in passing yards (1,556) and is tied for 10th in TD passes (11). 

However, will Payton soon need to be on the defensive again? Now that Wilson is Dart's backup, he has more time on his hands. With the added downtime, perhaps he'll cook up another dis for his former coach.