ESPN’s Ryan Clark scolds Sean Payton’s treatment of Russell Wilson:’Behaved as a thug’

On Friday, Russell Wilson revealed that the reasoning behind his benching was purely for financial reasons — a decision ESPN’s Ryan Clark agreed with — aside from how Broncos head coach Sean Payton has treated the quarterback.

“The business of it, is not a problem to me. But, let’s be honest. Sean Payton has behaved as a thug since he became the coach of the Denver Broncos,” Clark said Friday on ESPN’s “Get Up.” “Immediately when he gets in the building, he starts to undercut Russell Wilson personally and professionally from his first press conference on. He tells Russell Wilson you have to stop kissing babies and stop behaving as if you’re running for office. Nobody kissed more babies in New Orleans than Drew Brees. Period. Point blank.”

The Broncos, according to Wilson, came to him during their Week 9 bye, threatening to bench him if he refused to make a contract revison, deferring his $37 million injury guarantee.

Wilson, 35, was benched by Denver (7-8) on Wednesday for backup Jarrett Stidham, who will be under center on Sunday against the Chargers.

Russell Wilson #3 of the Denver Broncos talks with head coach Sean Payton of the Denver Broncos during the fourth quarter of a game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Getty Images Ryan Clark trashes Sean Payton for his treatment of Russell Wilson.

Payton has treated Wilson harshly this season, such as yelling at him on the sidelines and denying him access to Payton’s second-floor office during the quarterback’s first year in Denver in 2022.

He also notably came in hot to the Bronocs head coaching position, quickly ripping apart the previous coaching regime led by the Jets’ Nathaniel Hackett.

“From the beginning he walked into this building and he had a point to prove with Russell Wilson — you’re gonna be just like everybody else,” Clark added. “I’m gonna treat you just like I treat everybody else on the team. That’s not the way it works with franchise quarterbacks.”

“Let’s be honest: Sean Payton has behaved as a thug since he became the coach of the Denver Broncos. Immediately when he gets in the building, he starts to undercut Russell Wilson personally and professionally from his first press conference on.” – Ryan Clark on “Get Up” this… pic.twitter.com/u3KxreAaIb

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) December 29, 2023 Broncos head coach Sean Payton addresses the media after an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions. AP

Clark wasn’t the only member of sports media to give some heat to Payton.

Craig Carton said on Thursday that it’s “wrong” of the head coach to humiliate Wilson in benching him while still requiring him to dress as backup.

“Sean Payton dislikes Russell Wilson on a level I’ve never seen before. Not only is he embarrassing him by benching him for the last two games, he’s making him dress. Meaning what? CBS, Fox, whoever it is, is going to be on the sideline with a camera on Russell Wilson the entire game.

“Whether you like Russell Wilson or not, Russell Wilson is a pro. Russell Wilson is an accomplished veteran in this league and has never done anybody wrong that we are aware of publicly. For Sean Payton to humiliate him in this manner is wrong.”

“Sean Payton disliked Russell Wilson on a level I’ve never seen before. Not only is he embarrassing him by benching him for the last two games, he’s making him dress. For Sean Payton to humiliate him in this manner is wrong.”

— @craigcartonlive pic.twitter.com/fDIYsPQS47

— The Carton Show (@TheCartonShow) December 28, 2023 Russell Wilson, right, greets New England Patriots linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley after an NFL football game in Empower Field. AP

Wilson threw for 3,070 yards with 26 touchdown passes and eight interceptions across 15 games before seeing the bench, and he is expected to be cut in March to become a free agent.

“Let’s hold Sean Payton to some sort of professional accountability,” Clark said. “His behavior as the head coach of the Denver Broncos is unacceptable.”