The New York Jets gave offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett a game ball Sunday after their 31-21 upset road win over the Denver Broncos.
Hackett already had the ultimate trophy from the victory — revenge.
Many wags had labeled the Jets-Broncos tilt the “Nathaniel Hackett Bowl,” as the Jets new offense coordinator returned to face his old team. Hackett got fired after a 4-11 start last season in his first year as the Broncos head coach.
While the 2022 Broncos’ struggles weren’t entirely Hackett’s fault, plenty of prominent people thought otherwise. The ultimate insult came in July when new Broncos head coach Sean Payton claimed Hackett might have performed “one of the worst coaching jobs in the history of the NFL.”
So Hackett could hardly hide his emotions on the sideline as the Jets neared victory.
I was hoping Hackett would just start cutting a promo in Payton’s face at midfield.
— Dennis Cox (@TheFanRookie) October 8, 2023
Making the win even sweeter, the Jets offense made Hackett look really good. The team had struggled since the loss of Aaron Rodgers in the season opener, but came alive in Denver, racking up 407 total yards (of course, everyone has looked good against the Broncos defense this season).
Fans on social media loved the karma involved in Hackett’s revenge.
Sean Payton got what was coming to him
— Charlie Quinn (@CharlieQuinnMMA) October 8, 2023
This game meant a lot to Nathaniel Hackett for sure. Coaches are lining up to congratulate him on the win.
Sean Payton called Hackett one of the worst head coaches of all time.
Hackett got the last laugh today.
pic.twitter.com/OvkMkeBGiT— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) October 8, 2023
Sean Payton looks like the biggest clown ever after all the stuff he said abt that man in the off szn
— 💜 (@thefutxre) October 8, 2023
Hey good for the Jets, karma catches up with you
— Joshua Ryan Williams (@GhostPoet28) October 8, 2023
i mean he still was the worst head coach in broncos history… i don’t understand how that changes
— A Mile High (@denverszns) October 8, 2023
Hackett, saying “see, it was that damn Wilson guy”
— Franchise Trading (@FranchiseTrades) October 9, 2023
