Sean Payton should be cautious with his words, as New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers has criticized the Denver Broncos head coach for his comments about Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett.
Last week, Payton criticized Hackett’s performance with the team, calling it one of the worst coaching jobs in NFL history.
Rodgers, who has a close relationship with Hackett from their time together in Green Bay, deemed Payton’s comments inappropriate and out of line during an interview with NFL Network.
Rodgers expressed his admiration for Hackett’s coaching style, character, and family, and suggested that Payton’s remarks were driven by insecurity and an attempt to make excuses in case Denver doesn’t perform well this year.
“I love Nathaniel Hackett. Those comments were very surprising,” Rodgers told Peter Schrager during an interview segment live from Jets training camp on NFL Network. “For a coach to do that to another coach. My love for Hackett goes deep. We had some great years together in Green Bay. [We] kept in touch. I love him and his family.
He’s an incredible family man, 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, how 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. It made me feel bad that someone who’s accomplished a lot in the league is that insecure that they have to take another man down to set themselves up for some sort of easy fall if it doesn’t go well for that team this year. I thought it was way out of line, inappropriate, and I think he needs to keep my coach’s name out of his mouth.”
Aaron Rodgers unloads on Sean Payton: "I thought it was way out of line, inappropriate, and I think he needs to keep my coach's name out of his mouth."
Rodgers also suggests Payton's comments were a way of providing an excuse in case Denver can't improve. pic.twitter.com/L7FCMtBIKs
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) July 30, 2023
Jets head coach Robert Saleh had a more composed reaction, noting that having critics implies success.
Payton has already apologized, but it remains to be seen how he will respond to Rodgers’ passionate remarks.
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