Russell Wilson intensifies dispute with Sean Payton and weighs the future of the NFL

Russell Wilson and Sean Payton spent just one season together in the NFL, but tension persisted after a difficult year.

And it seems that the tension that built up from that tumultuous stretch continues to persist.

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 labeling Payton “classless,” saying he felt slighted by his former coach's comments.

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“[When] you've been on the same side or this and that, and I got the same amount of rings as you, I mean, Sean, right?” said Wilson, who won a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks while Payton coached for the New Orleans Saints.

“I have a lot of respect for him as a play-caller, this and that, but I don't like taking a shot. 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 time when you have to do it, I've realized, I've been quiet for so long. There's a time and a place where I'm not.

“I know who I am as a competitor, as a warrior, as a champion too, and, you know, I beat Sean too. You know, like we've been in the same place and the same thing. 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, Colorado. (Ryan Kang/Getty Images)

After a difficult one-year stint with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024, Wilson joined the New York Giants last offseason. However, he was relegated to a substitute role after just three games.

Rookie Jaxson Dart quickly showed promise once he got a chance to start, but his season was briefly derailed by an injury. Jameis Winston, not Wilson, replaced Dart in some games. Dart threw three touchdowns in a Week 7 matchup against the Broncos, nearly pulling off an upset in what was ultimately a close loss.

After the game, Payton said Dart provided a “spark” to the Giants' offense.

“I was talking to [Giants owner] John Mara not 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) in 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 fewer challenges if Wilson had been under center.

“No class… but not surprised,” Wilson responded in a social media post. “I didn't realize you're still bounty hunting more than 15 years later, through the media.”

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Despite last season's struggles and talks about his football future, Wilson does not appear ready to call it quits in 2026.

“I definitely want to play a few more years,” he said. “I think, for me, I've always had a vision of making it to 40, at least. I think the game is different. As quarterbacks, we get hit. It's not, you know, that we get hit hard, but… there are certain rules. I mean, back in the day when I started, brother, it was just taking [clobbered].

“I mean, 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, do you love the game? Do you love studying? Do you love the passion for it all? Do you love the process? Do you love the practice? Do you love… everyone loves the winning part, but it's a process. There's a journey that you have to become obsessed with. And that part I'm obsessed with.”

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