The Denver Broncos are trying to move past the Sean Payton and Russell Wilson sideline incident in Week 15. Media members refuse to let go of Payton’s public berating of Wilson during the 42-17 loss to the Detroit Lions.
Hall of Famer and television personality Michael Irvin was the latest to address the situation. On the December 18 episode of Fox Sports’ “Undisputed,” Irvin weighed in and ripped Payton for his actions in this “social media era.”
“Russell Wilson, his family, his wife gonna see this every day on social media. Why would you stir that up like this?” Irvin said during the segment. “This is what we mean when we ask coaches, ‘Are you ready to coach in this era?’ Cause players ain’t gonna have that. And they’re not gonna have that lasting forever on social media, being berated like that. I’ve never seen you do it—I don’t care how upset you got—I’ve never seen you do that to Drew Brees.”
Irvin said the “cameras never leave” the sideline, and Payton “knew that would get on air.”
The legendary receiver even called on the veteran coach to publicly apologize to Wilson.
“Grab him in silent to apologize won’t work. You gotta do it like you did it here,” Irvin exclaimed while pointing to footage of the flare-up.
Michael Irvin wants Sean Payton to publicly apologize to Russell Wilson pic.twitter.com/VrdRqxgaaT
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) December 18, 2023
Mike Florio Offers His Take on the Sean Payton & Russell Wilson Interaction
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk had a much different take than Irvin on the Payton and Wilson interaction.
“I interpreted that interaction,” Florio began on a December 19 segment on the NFL on NBC. “I interpret it as Payton letting loose on Russ because of something he has told him 20 freaking times.”
The commentator wondered aloud whether Payton’s tirade spoke to something deeper regarding Wilson’s future in Denver.
“There’s something that Russ has failed to do that Payton wanted him to do. Or something he is doing that Payton wants him to not do and they’ve been over it and over and over it. It’s the middle of December and you’re still doing it. That’s how I interpreted it and if that’s the case, it does make me wonder where things stand between the two guys going forward,” Florio said.
When Payton accepted the Broncos job in January 2023, there were debates over how he would work with Wilson. The Super Bowl-winning coach inherited Wilson, but that does not mean he may retain him ahead of the 2024 campaign.
Sean Payton Downplays Flare-Up With Russell Wilson: ‘Great Relationship’
While the heated interaction is receiving national attention, Payton has kept tight-lipped about the flare-up.
“Nothing more to share,” the veteran head coach told reporters on Monday, December 18. “It certainly, you know, in-game intensity, heat of the moment, all of those things. But nothing more to add.”
Payton acknowledged he did not feel the need to hash things out with Wilson, citing his “great relationship” with the quarterback.
Through Payton’s comments, it would appear his eruption indicates there is zero internal strife within the organization. He reiterated that his anger was directed at the action on the field rather than Wilson.
“The anger and frustration in that sequence comes from the fourth-down call and the touchdown then was later called a penalty. And now we’re sitting at fourth-and-call-it-6 instead of fourth-and-half-a yard. We’re trying to get within two scores, it’s an important sequence relative to the game of trying to climb back in it,” Payton said.
Regardless of what happens in Denver over the next three weeks, the pairing of Payton and Wilson will remain under a microscope.
