Sean Payton yelling at Russell Wilson ‘completely blown out of proportion,’ one Bronco says

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Social media exploded Saturday night when Broncos coach Sean Payton yelled at quarterback Russell Wilson on the Denver sideline.

The clip went viral. Even Payton’s press-conference reaction merited views in the hundreds of thousands. And yet, in the confines of the Broncos’ locker room, Payton’s harangue during the third quarter of the Broncos’ 42-17 defeat at Detroit wasn’t a big deal.

“Mistakes happen, and people get emotional — especially when, in the fourth quarter of a game, you’re getting your ass kicked,” Broncos right tackle Mike McGlinchey said.

“So, I wouldn’t think anything of that. And nobody in this locker room does.”

Mike McGlinchey, on Sean Payton yelling in the direction of Russell Wilson last Saturday: “I think it’s been completely blown out of proportion. … All that is, is competitive fire and frustration of certain things that go wrong.” pic.twitter.com/rDRFtYgJQv

— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) December 20, 2023

Wilson himself downplayed the public reaction to the interaction with Sean Payton. The moment followed a failed goal-to-go series that included a touchdown taken off the board because right guard Quinn Meinerz was adjudged to be offsides.

“I don’t really try to pay attention to it, to be honest with you,” Wilson said.

After all …

“I was there,” he continued.

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And that’s the thing. Such moments are nothing new. It was just a matter of the camera capturing a specific moment. Just as cameras caught Sean Payton yelling at defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, safety P.J. Locke — and Russell Wilson himself — during moments earlier in the season.

“Yeah, I think if all the moments I got in screaming matches with coaches or teammates had been televised, it would be something else,” McGlinchey said. “I think it’s been completely blown out of proportion.

“Things like that happen — especially in a humongous game for us, with a lot on the line.”

And with people as competitive as Sean Payton and Russell Wilson, something like that was inevitable in the heat of the moment.

“I think Russell — and especially Sean — are two of the most competitive people that you’ll ever be around,” McGlinchey said, “and all that is, is competitive fire and frustration of certain things that go wrong and not being on the same page or whatever it is.

Indeed, sometimes passion boils over into a tempest.

“Yeah, I think that as much time as we all spend on the game, the process, everything else … We’re all competitive, we’re all trying to win every week, and I think that’s the part that you love about this game,” Wilson added. “It’s a passionate game, man. It’s a passionate game that we love.”

And by and large, the players understand that. Which is why an incident that is a big deal in public discussion actually isn’t within the Broncos locker room.

“I don’t think anybody in this locker room’s looking at it as an issue — nor should they,” McGlinchey said. “Because I can’t even count how many times I’ve gotten screamed at by a coach, or frustrated because of not doing your job to the right (degree).

“Mistakes happen, and people get emotional, and especially when, in the fourth quarter of a game, you’re getting your ass kicked. So, I wouldn’t think anything of that. And nobody in this locker room does.”