Sean Payton Clears the Air on Russell Wilson's Viral Tweet and Jaxson Dart Spotlight

Sean Payton, born December 29, 1963, is an American professional football coach and former quarterback, currently serving as the head coach of the Denver Broncos in the National Football League (NFL) since February 2023. He is best known for his long and successful tenure as head coach of the New Orleans Saints from 2006 to 2021. During his 16 seasons with the Saints, Payton transformed the franchise, leading the team to its first Super Bowl victory in the 2009 season (Super Bowl XLIV). He also guided the Saints to three NFC Championship games (2006, 2009, and 2018), nine playoff appearances, and seven division titles, making him the most successful coach in Saints history[1][2][7]. Before his coaching career, Payton played quarterback at Naperville Central High School and Eastern Illinois University. He had a brief professional playing career that included time with the Chicago Bears in 1987 and the Leicester Panthers in England in 1988. Payton started his coaching career as an offensive assistant at San Diego State University and held various assistant coaching roles in both college and the NFL before becoming the Saints' head coach[1][2][4]. Noted for his offensive expertise, Payton's teams scored more points and gained more yards in his first 100 games than any other NFL coach in history. He won the AP NFL Coach of the Year Award in 2006 after leading the Saints to the playoffs following a 3–13 season the year before[1][2]. After leaving the Saints in 2021, Payton was hired by the Denver Broncos in 2023 and has completed two seasons with the team as of late 2025[1][3][7]. His career head coaching record includes 179 wins (170 regular season, 9 playoffs), placing him among the NFL’s winningest coaches[7].

Jaxson Dart is an American professional football quarterback currently playing for the New York Giants in the NFL. Born on May 13, 2003, in Kaysville, Utah, Dart played college football at USC and Ole Miss, where he established himself as a highly productive and record-setting quarterback. At Ole Miss, he set school records for wins by a starting quarterback (28) and winning percentage (.737), finishing his collegiate career with 11,970 passing yards, 81 touchdowns, and 27 interceptions over 45 games, along with 1,541 rushing yards and 14 rushing touchdowns, accumulating over 13,500 total yards of offense[1][6][7]. Dart was selected 25th overall in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft by the New York Giants, who traded up to secure him. He began his rookie NFL season as a backup to veteran quarterback Russell Wilson. Following a 0–3 start for the Giants, Dart was named the starter for Week 4 against the Los Angeles Chargers, where he led the team to victory, completing 13 of 20 passes for 111 yards and scoring a rushing touchdown in his first career start[1][5]. He continued to impress by leading the Giants to a win over the Philadelphia Eagles on October 9, 2025, with 195 passing yards and 58 rushing yards, becoming one of the few quarterbacks since 1991 to score opening-drive touchdowns in each of their first three career starts, joining Patrick Mahomes in that achievement[1]. Dart is noted for his distinctive under-eye black paint, inspired by a scar on the Star Wars character Anakin Skywalker, which he has worn since his college days as a personal tribute and expression of his youthful spirit[5]. At 6 feet 2¼ inches tall and weighing 223 pounds, Dart combines mobility and passing skills, making him a promising young talent in the NFL[1][3]. He is currently active with the Giants and is viewed as a key figure in the team's effort to improve its performance in the 2025 season[1][3][4].