Broncos’ Sean Payton says Jaxson Dart praise wasn’t a shot at Russell Wilson: ‘That was strictly about Dart’

After Denver’s comeback win against the Giants, Payton said he was hoping New York would have made its QB change ‘long after’ the teams’ Week 7 meeting

By Andy Backstrom, Contributing writer

Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton insisted Wednesday that his Jaxson Dart praise this past weekend wasn’t a shot at Russell Wilson, who quarterbacked Payton’s Broncos in 2023 and most recently was benched in favor of the rookie Dart after struggling as the New York Giants’ starter the first three weeks of the 2025 season.

After the Broncos scored 33 points during a fourth-quarter comeback for the ages against the Giants on Sunday, Payton spoke glowingly about Dart, who threw three touchdowns and ran for another in his fourth career NFL start.

“Look, in the euphoria, the way that game unfolded, that was strictly about Dart,” Payton clarified Wednesday. “And 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.”

While Payton didn’t mention Wilson’s name Sunday, Wilson clearly took offense to his former coach’s postgame comments in the wake of Denver’s shocking 33-32 win.

“They found a little spark with that quarterback,” Payton said of Dart at the podium Sunday. “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.'”

Normally overwhelmingly positive, and normally glued to the high road — at least publicly — Wilson veered off course and swung at his former coach.