Russell Wilson didn’t need many words to get his point across on CBS Sports’ pregame show Sunday.
While making his pick for Broncos-Chiefs, the former Denver quarterback went with his old team and slipped in a little shot at Sean Payton along the way.
"I'm riding with the Denver Broncos," Wilson said. "Sean Payton, you may like me; you may not. But I'm picking you."
It was a playful line, but it landed because of everything that came before it. Wilson’s run in Denver never matched the expectations that followed his arrival, and the relationship with Payton clearly never settled into anything close to smooth.
The Broncos went 4-11 in 2022, then Payton benched Wilson at the end of the 2023 season. That stretch helped push Wilson out of Denver, even with the huge cap hit attached to his departure.
The tension between the two has surfaced before. In 2025, Payton made a remark after the Broncos played the Giants - Wilson’s team at the time - saying he had told Giants officials he hoped to face Wilson instead of Jaxson Dart. Payton later said he didn’t mean to criticize Wilson, per ESPN, but Wilson fired back on X and called his former coach “classless.”
In that same post, Wilson also brought up Payton’s former “BountyGate” scandal.
Classless… but not surprised…. Didn’t realize you’re still bounty hunting 15+ years later through the media. 😎😂 #LetsRide 🤣
Wilson later addressed the feud more directly on the "Bussin' With the Boys" podcast in March 2026, saying he wasn’t interested in swallowing disrespect.
“[When] you’ve been on the same side or this and that and I got the same amount of rings as you got, meaning Sean, right?” Wilson said on the "Bussin' With the Boys" podcast in March 2026.
“I got a lot of respect for him as a play-caller, this and that, but to take a shot, I don’t like. 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 point in time where you have to, I’ve realized, I’ve stayed quiet for so long. There’s a there’s a time and place where I’m not.
“I know who I am as a competitor, as a warrior, as a champion, too and you know, I’ve beaten Sean, too. You know, like we’ve been on the same place and the same thing.
And so, it’s not a matter of disrespect. Just don’t disrespect me.”
Now 37, Wilson has moved on from playing and into broadcasting. He chose that path this offseason instead of taking a backup role, including the possibility of joining the Jets. On CBS Sports, he has settled in quickly, and on Sunday he used that platform to back Denver while keeping the Payton edge intact.
Payton, meanwhile, is still in charge in Denver in his fourth year with the Broncos.
In Other News...
Creed Humphreys Snapping Problem Is Becoming A Real Chiefs Concern
Creed Humphreys name rarely comes up for anything other than stability, which is why the recent snapping issues have stood out so sharply for the Chiefs. During the game against the Broncos, Kansas City had multiple low and errant shotgun snaps to Patrick Mahomes, an unusual problem for a center who has been one of the most dependable pieces of the offense. The miscues drew attention beyond the sideline, with former Chiefs offensive lineman Mitchell Schwartz and CBS analyst J.J. Watt both weighing in on the trouble.
Humphrey addressed it in a news conference and did not try to minimize it, acknowledging the issue has become a problem for the offense. For a unit built around timing and precision, even a small disruption at center can ripple through everything Kansas City wants to do, and this is now the kind of detail the Chiefs cannot afford to let linger for long. [Read more 🡒]
Andy Reids Late Chiefs Line Change Raises Bigger Questions Up Front
Andy Reid made a late change along the Chiefs offensive line for the Week 8 AFC West matchup against the Broncos, turning to Mike Caliendo over Kingsley Suamataia right before kickoff. It was a notable switch because Suamataia had started five of Kansas Citys first seven games this season, while Caliendo had been in every game and was making just his second start of the year.
The move adds another layer to a front that has already been under the microscope, especially with the Chiefs trying to settle things up front as the season moves deeper into the division race. Suamataia was not believed to be injured when he was held out of the starting lineup, which makes the decision feel less like a short-term necessity and more like a sign that Kansas City is still searching for the right combination. [Read more 🡒]
Steve Spagnuolo Could Put Bo Nix In A Brutal Spot
Bo Nix and the Broncos are heading into a Week 8 AFC West matchup with a test that looks tailor-made for Kansas City defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. Nix has had trouble this season when defenses heat him up and crowd him with man coverage, and that puts the Chiefs in position to lean into the kind of pressure package they have long been willing to unleash when the stakes rise.
Spagnuolos game plan figures to be aggressive, with man coverage and blitzes designed to force Nix into quick decisions and uncomfortable throws. For Kansas City, it is more than just a matchup wrinkle. With the division race in play, how Nix handles that pressure could shape not only Sundays game, but the early balance of the AFC West. [Read more 🡒]