Sean Payton’s resurgence with Russell Wilson puts the spotlight back on the relationship between coach and QB

(Editor’s Note: This is an excerpt from Mike Sando’s Pick Six from December 18, 2023.)

Sean Payton booming quarterback Russell Wilson on the sidelines, who then suggested he was just angry about being in office, sparked all kinds of speculation.

It’s hard to fault Payton for losing his cool when the officials wiped out a Broncos touchdown with an offensive offside call that seemed indefensible. As one former head coach put it, the referees have “gone mad” in seeking penalties related to Philadelphia’s tush-push plays.

It’s just hard to understand why Payton would direct all that anger at his quarterback.

The nature of Payton’s relationship with Wilson faded into the background during a five-game winning streak fueled by opposing turnovers. With Denver losing two of its last three, including 42-17 in Detroit on Saturday, tensions appear to be flaring again. The topic is fascinating because the Broncos must decide after the season whether to fully guarantee another $37 million in Wilson’s contract.

A search through Payton’s media sessions during the season turned up a few mildly positive lines about the quarterback he inherited, but not many. It doesn’t necessarily mean coach and quarterback are headed for divorce, but Payton appears to be okay with leaving the public wondering, which is a departure from the way he treated Drew Brees during his tenure in New Orleans.

Some of this could simply be an old-fashioned approach to motivation and control. But the disdain Payton showed for Wilson early in the season and again on the sidelines seemed sharp Saturday.

While it’s possible Wilson suggested Payton should have initiated a replay challenge or gone for it on fourth down instead of attempting a field goal, which drew an angry response from Payton, two coaches familiar with Wilson’s tenure offered in Seattle another option. They noted that Wilson changed plays in Seattle to get into a rhythm, and that if he had changed Payton’s play on the drive in question, the coach could have issued a strong judgment.

“I don’t think Sean is beholden to anyone there,” said another coach, “so he’s going to let everyone know when he’s angry. He just wasn’t always very angry in New Orleans. They were winning.”

(Photo: RJ Sangosti/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images)

“The Football 100,” the definitive ranking of the NFL’s 100 Greatest Players of All Time, is now available for purchase. Order it here.