Payton’s initial comments Sunday praised Dart and the “little spark” the rookie has brought to the Giants offense since taking over for Wilson, adding that he had previously told Giants owner John Mara that he hoped New York would trade under center “long after our game,” suggesting Payton would have preferred his team to face Wilson, not Dart.
Wilson took Payton’s comments personally, responding by calling Payton “classless” in a social media post while also referencing the coach’s suspension for the 2012 season.
The hostility should come as no surprise. The two joined forces when Payton was hired as the Broncos’ head coach in 2023 after a disappointing season following a blockbuster trade that sent Wilson from Seattle to Denver.
The Wilson-Payton partnership was doomed from the start, eventually leading to Payton benching Wilson late in the season before the Broncos released him (and accepted a huge cap hit) in 2024.
Since then, Payton has been tasked with turning around the Broncos with a new quarterback, 2024 first-rounder Bo Nix, and a group that, while strong, has been handcuffed by the financial fallout from the massive extension Wilson signed with Denver before flopping as their quarterback.
Wilson, meanwhile, has become something of a football nomad, spending 2024 as Pittsburgh’s primary starter before signing with New York as a free agent in 2025. He lasted just three games as the Giants’ starter before coach Brian Daboll was the last to bench Wilson.
With Dart now leading the way, the Giants have turned into a competitive club that dominated Denver for three quarters before collapsing in the fourth. Wilson had a front row seat to it all on the New York sideline.
Payton’s explanation Wednesday put out a public relations fire; His team’s victory over Wilson’s Giants may be the final word.