The Week 5 game between the New York Jets and Denver Broncos will certainly be a lot spicier than many observers probably predicted when the NFL released its schedule earlier this year.
Last week, Broncos coach Sean Payton ripped into his predecessor Nathaniel Hackett, whom the Broncos fired after a 5-12 season and currently works as the Jets’ offensive coordinator, by calling his output “maybe the worst coaching performance in the history of the league.”
Jets head coach Robert Saleh seemingly brushed off the comments, telling reporters that “If you don’t have haters, you aren’t popping. So hate away.”
But new Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who worked extensively with Hackett during their time together with the Green Bay Packers, took a more direct route to the comments while speaking to Peter Schrager on NFL+.
“Yeah, I love Nathaniel Hackett, and those comments were very surprising, for a coach to do that to another coach,” Rodgers said, according to NFL.com. “I thought it was way out of line, inappropriate, and I think he needs to keep my coach’s name out of his mouth.”
Here is Aaron Rodgers’ comments about Sean Payton and his comment about Nathaniel Hackett this week. Rodgers calls Payton “insecure” and says he should keep his coach’s name out his mouth. 👀👀👀👀👀👀 pic.twitter.com/7ISPvJBl5s
— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) July 30, 2023
Rodgers revealed he and Hackett kept in contact even after both left the Packers.
“My love for Hack goes deep, you know, we had some great years together in Green Bay,” Rodgers said. “(We) kept in touch, love him and his family, he’s an incredible family man and an incredible dad. And on the field, he’s arguably my favorite coach I’ve ever had in the NFL. Just his approach to it — he makes it fun, how he cares about the guys, just how he goes about his business with respect, with leadership, with honesty, with integrity.”
The NFL world was quick to react:
Rodgers and Saleh heading to Denver https://t.co/h4I4EkAgE0 pic.twitter.com/pZOyx9Idnf
— Tone Digs (@ToneDigz) July 30, 2023
what's he going to do, recommend a pseudoscience supplement that is ineffective in treating a future illness https://t.co/W8fcH4qNd9
— lukezim (@lukezim) July 30, 2023
I’m not a Rodgers or a Jets fan but good. He deserved it. 👇🏻 https://t.co/5FsLJuA8qk
— Mike J. Asti (@MikeAsti11) July 30, 2023
— Hip-Hop Jeff Van Gundy (@JeffVanGundysB1) July 30, 2023
Broncos-Jets Week 5 can’t come soon enough. https://t.co/dU4Asimnkc
— Zac Stevens (@ZacStevensDNVR) July 30, 2023
You will have to forgive me if I am absolutely pounding the under on both these teams. https://t.co/YvyjrH8QUA
— Ryan Burns (@FtblSickness) July 30, 2023
[NFL.com]
