Date night.
Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson and his wife Ciara broke bread with his new head coach Sean Payton in Scottsdale, Ariz. on Thursday.
The couple dined with Payton, as well as Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana and Wheels Up CEO Kenny Dichter at the Wheels Up Raos pop-up restaurant, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, who shared a photo of the group on Twitter.
It was the first meeting between Wilson and Payton after the Broncos introduced the new head coach on Monday, when he praised the quarterback for his hard work ethic.
Wilson shared a separate photo on social media that showed him with his arms around Payton and Montana.
Sean Payton, Russell Wilson and Joe Montana and Wheels Up CEO Kenny Dichter at the Wheels Up Raos pop-up restaurant in Scottsdale, AZ on Feb. 9, 2023. Instagram/Russell Wilson“Date night,” he captioned his tweet.
Wilson arrived in Denver after an offseason trade with Seattle, where he spent the first 10 seasons of his career with the Seahawks. In September, the quarterback agreed to a five-year contract extension with Denver worth $245 million.
Payton replaced former Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett, whom Denver fired with two games remaining this past season after he went 4-11. In addition to Hackett, the Broncos also fired special teams coordinator Dwayne Stukes and offensive line coach Butch Barry.
Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson during a game against the Chargers at Empower Field at Mile High on Jan. 8, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
New Denver Broncos Head Coach Sean Payton fields questions from the media during a press conference at UCHealth Training Center on Feb. 6, 2023 in Englewood, Colorado. Getty ImagesThe Broncos finalized a deal to acquire Payton from the Saints on Jan. 31, as the coach still had two years remaining on his contract with New Orleans. Denver agreed to trade its 2023 first-round pick (No. 29 overall) and 2024 second-round selection to the Saints in exchange for a future third-round pick and the rights to Payton.
Payton stepped down as head coach of the Saints after the 2021 season and spent this past season as a studio analyst for Fox Sports.
The Broncos announced Payton as their new head coach on Feb. 3, and introduced Payton on Monday, sharing a photo of him holding a team helmet.
Willson quote-tweeted the photo, writing, “Excited to get to work. Fired Up! Congrats Coach @SeanPayton @Broncos.”
Payton, who was in with the Saints from 2006-2021, has a 152-89 record (.631) as a head coach — and led the team to a victory in Super Bowl XLIV in the 2009 season.
